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Armstrong’s work reprints the work on Cornish and Devonshire Wrestling from Donald Walker’s Defensive Exercises (1840). We have provided the example here for comparison: CHAPTER II CORNISH AND DEVONSHIRE STYLES. UNLIKE the friendly rivalry which animates the genial race of giants who hail from Cumberland and Westmorland, a deadly feud has from time immemorial existed […]
(p. 235) I had my sword, which I have before mentioned that I bought off old Dick, hanging by my side. I uncocked the single-barrelled gun, and thought I would keep it and throw away my sword, but, on second thoughts, I threw away the gun and kept the sword, for I knew what I […]
(p.2) From the earliest periods of history wrestling has been a popular recreation, a sport in which the English had the reputation of being particularly skilful. Whoever has read The Canterbury Tales will not forget the two references to wrestling: Gamelyn in the Cook’s Tale (a pre-Chaucerian poem often printed in Chaucer’s works), and the […]
Dover’s Antient Meeting 1812 , On Thursday in Whit – week , on that highly renowned and universally admired spot called Dover’s Hill , near Chipping Campden , Glos . The sports will commence with a grand match of Backswords , for a purse of guineas , To be played by 9 or 7 men […]
pp. 26 “By Tre, Pol & Pen, ye may know Cornishmen,” says the old ballad and also by his wrestling jacket is the Cornish wrestler known. And wherever “Cousin Jack” has set foot, there he has taken with him his love of a wrestle. From time beyond all memory, even tradition, the Cornishman has the […]
Collar and Elbow Wrestling – This style originated in the English counties of Devon and Cornwall, and in England it is called by the names of those counties. As between the styles practiced in these counties, however, there are differences in detail. The essential feature of the costume is a canvas jacket loosely laced with […]
(pp.15) CORNWALL AND DEVONSHIRE STYLE. In leading off with the Cornwall and Devonshire style of wrestling, I may remark that the regulations are apparently of the simplest character; yet, in consequence of the complicated nature of the Cornish definition of a “fall,” the south-country gatherings often end very unsatisfactorily, and many inferior men have honors […]
29th July 1534: “On Sunday next the peace between England and Scotland will be proclaimed at Guildford, with such a wrestling as has never before been seen; for which purpose some have come out of Cornwall and Devonshire to show their cunning. Sent two caps and a purse.” ‘Henry VIII: July 1534, 26-31’, in Letters […]
4th October 1532: “To Parker, yeoman of the Robes, for doublets for the guard to wrestle in before the King and French king at Calais, 44s.” Henry VIII: Privy Purse Expences’, in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 5, 1531-1532, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1880), pp. 747-762. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol5/pp747-762 [accessed […]
SINGLE-STICK PLAYING. A MATCH of Single-stick playing, between Davis and Harding, two Hampshire men, and Goddard and Phillips, from Wiltshire, took place on Tuesday the 3d instant, at Swallowfield, Berks, for 25gs. a side, amidst as great a concourse of people as usually assemble on such (pp. 81.) such occasions. Davis and Goddard first mounted […]
SOMERSETSHIRE. A grand match of single-stick, Somerset against all England, took place at Frome a few days since, and afforded much excellent sport: it was truly a feast for the amateurs of that manly exercise. The principal object of this match was to afford the Somerset and Wiltshire gamesters an opportunity ot displaying their prowess. […]
Four notes for the archive record: First, “Trowbridge in Somersetshire” (p. 93) is an error: Trowbridge is in Wiltshire. Second, the Hampshire place is printed inconsistently — “Rapley Dean” on p. 94 and “Ropley Dean” on p. 95 — and refers to Ropley, Hampshire (the green at Ropley Dean). Third, “waiscoat” (waistcoat) and “taylor” (tailor) […]
Exercitiorum Atque Artis Militaris Collectanea (“Collected Martial Arts and Exercises”) is a Spanish fencing manual by Pedro Monte printed in Milan in 1509.[1] It was an attempt to capture the entire art of war, including all styles of armed and unarmed combat of which Monte was aware. Full information is available on Wiktenauer. “In greater […]
The men of the moors in Devonshire, and the adjacent county, being famous for wrestling, we may add to what has been said upon the subject, from the observations of old Carew, who in his quaint style remarked, “You shall hardly find an assembly of boys in Devon and Cornwall, where the most untowardly among them will not as […]
pp. 175 I mentioned before, how much I suspected a cove which had ftood near the manor-house in the north-west part of the knoll : this I would have dedicated to the element of Water, or particularly to the river flowing by, the Isca which I have shewn to be its Celtic name : and […]
Sir Thomas Elyot is believed to have been born in Wiltshire. XVII. Exercises wherby shulde growe both recreation and profite. WRASTLYNGE, is a very good exercise in the begynnynge of youthe, so that it be with one that is equall in strengthe, or some what under, and that the place be softe, that in fallinge […]
Deadman’s Alley, pp. 11. Plain John Garnet looked somewhat preoccupied now, sitting moodily over his punch, and the influence of his demeanour seemed to steal upon the company in general. Mr. Gale, indeed, held forth loudly on horse-racing, cock-fighting, and such congenial topics, but spent his breath for an inattentive audience, not to be interested […]
NOTES BY THE WAY : A DEVONSHIRE WRESTLING MATCH. HEARING from a fellow traveller in the train that there was to be some wrestling on the morrow at Moor Town, South Devon, and having some faint recollections of a grand description of the same in one of the London papers, probably the Daily Telegraph, we […]
Bob Fitzsimmons (1863–1917) — Helston, Cornwall Bob Fitzsimmons is not merely the most significant Westcountry boxer of the post-Pugilistica era; he is, by any reasonable measure, one of the most significant British boxers in the entire history of the sport. Robert James Fitzsimmons was born on 26 May 1863 at Helston, Cornwall, England, and was […]
Litt, Walter (1823), Wrestliana; or, An historical account of ancient and modern Wrestling. Available online via Archive.org.
I find that in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, we had of both Sorts that were excellent in their Way, and it is hard to say by which of the two we acquired the greatest Fame. Out-play Wrestlers did not shuffle, and dance about, and threaten, bur laid Hold, and never quited till they brought […]
Baring-Gould, S. (1908). Devonshire characters and strange events. John Lane, The Bodley Head. DEVONSHIRE WRESTLERS. WRESTLING was the favourite sport in former days in Devonshire and Cornwall. Evelyn, in his Diary, speaks of Westcountrymen in London contesting against men of the North, and in all cases the former were the victors. And Ben Jonson, in […]
THE LONDON MAGAZINE, 1826. WRESTLING. THE amateurs of athletic performances were gratified towards the end of last month, with an exhibition of the old national feat of wrestling. Several matches were played between Devonshire and Cornwall men, on the 19th, 20th, and 21st, at the Eagle Tavern green, in the City Road. The variety of […]
HONE’s TABLE BOOK Hone, W (1827); The table book: or, Daily recreation and information concerning remarkable men, manners, times, seasons, solemnities, merry-makings, antiquities and novelties, forming a complete history of the year, W. Tegg. DEVONSHIRE WRESTLING. For the Table Book. Abraham Cann, the Devonshire champion, and his brother wrestlers of that county, are objected to […]
Howitt, W (1838); The rural life of England, Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longmans. WE must not close this department of our subject, without saying a word or two on wrestling. This exercise, which at one time was almost universal, is now, like many others, fallen into general disuse; and is confined almost entirely to […]
WRESTLING IN DEVON AND CORNWALL. Richard Polwhele’s Historical Views of Devonshire (1793) constitutes the first modern county history of Devon and provides the earliest sustained account of popular recreations—including wrestling—in the region at the close of the eighteenth century, predating all newspaper sources in the archive by approximately a decade. Polwhele observes that wrestling was […]
1753 a very beautiful gold laced vest of leather was “to be wrestled for in Plymouth, organized on the green, a hat decorated of silver laced was to be cudgeled for, and a Holland shift to be run for by women”. In 1783, at the Pentecost games, a wrestling contest organized by a local Pub, […]
XXXIX It is to be regretted that the old Cornish games are gradually losing their hold and are dying out in the country. The wrestling matches which formerly were well attended and patronized by the local gentry are now with few exceptions got up by the publicans as means of selling liquor, and in place […]
A LITTLE more than a century ago the Rector of Ladock was the Rev. Mr. Wood, who was a most zealous churchman even in the days of misty prejudice, when churchmen in general looked upon nonconformists as scabbed sheep in their fold, and held that no schismatics were to be tolerated. From having unwavering faith […]
THE FOURTH CHAPTER. WHEN Brute had entred this land, immediatlie after his arriuall (as writers doo record) he searched the countrie from side to side, and from end to end, finding it in most places verie fertile and plentious of wood and grasse, and full of pleasant springs and faire riuers. As he thus […]