Why practice Devon Wrestling?

Featured image: The Wrestling ring ready for competition

In an age when digital activities tend to be more popular than physical ones, it’s becoming more important to one’s mental and physical health to take part in activities in the real-world. A common phrase is the need to get some grass between the toes, figuratively meaning ‘getting back to nature’, or getting back in touch with reality. Whilst this might be figurative, it is quite literally the case with the martial art of Devon Wrestling.

Today, traditional practices are increasingly celebrated as valuable cultural assets. But perhaps one overlooked treasure remains largely forgotten. This sport may be found in the rolling hills of southwestern England: Devon Wrestling. An ancient martial art, along with other West Country fighting traditions, represents not merely a historical curiosity but a living heritage worthy of preservation and revival.

The rich history of Devon Wrestling

Devon Wrestling stands as one of Britain’s oldest documented fighting styles, with medieval references to jacket wrestling dating back centuries. The tradition began to be documented between 1700-1800, when the earliest books on the subject were written, documenting techniques and rules that had been passed down through generations.

A significant milestone came in 1752 with the founding of the Devon and Cornwall Wrestling Society, which promoted these regional styles in London. Far from being a minor diversion, wrestling was the premier sport of its day—wrestlers were celebrated like modern football stars, with the Society functioning as the FIFA of its era. Matches regularly drew crowds of tens of thousands and even enjoyed patronage from the Prince of Wales.

The golden age of Devon Wrestling spanned from 1820 to the 1850s, with Abraham Cann emerging as its most celebrated champion. His fame and fortune allowed him to purchase a pub in Exeter aptly named the Champion’s Arms. By the 1880s, however, the sport began a slow decline, with participation dwindling into the early 20th century. Tragically, World War I decimated the remaining practitioners, and although there was a brief revival attempt in the 1920s—gathering those who still possessed the knowledge and skills—World War II extinguished the last embers of this once-flourishing tradition.

The sport would remain dormant until 2014, when the Devon Wrestling Society (DWS) was founded, marking the first serious attempt to reclaim this cultural heritage in over 70 years.

Why these traditions deserve recognition

The case for reclaiming Devon Wrestling and other West Country martial arts extends beyond mere nostalgia:

1. Cultural distinctiveness: These fighting styles evolved to reflect the unique landscapes, work patterns, and social structures of the West Country. Devon Wrestling techniques, for instance, show adaptations suited to the region’s farming communities, with holds and stances that mirror the movements used in agricultural labour.
2. Living heritage: Unlike artefacts in museums, martial arts represent “embodied knowledge”—cultural practices that exist within the movements and techniques passed from practitioner to practitioner. When these traditions died out, we lost not only activities but entire ways of understanding the body and its relationship to community and environment.
3. Regional identity: In an increasingly homogenised world, distinctive regional practices provide communities with a sense of place and continuity. The West Country has seen many of its traditions commodified or appropriated; reclaiming martial arts like Devon Wrestling offers an authentic connection to local history. In the DWS, we love martial arts, and we love the West Country. So the combination of these two things multiplies our connection to history, and our place within it.

Modern revival

The contemporary revival of Devon Wrestling began in 2014 with the founding of the Devon Wrestling Society (DWS), spearheaded by martial arts enthusiasts with a deep appreciation for local history and genealogy. What started as curious research and practice sessions in Devon fields has evolved into a structured organisation with core missions:

1. Setting Standards: Establishing consistent training protocols and competition rules that honour historical practices while ensuring safety for modern practitioners.
2. Opening Doors: Creating accessibility that transcends regional boundaries—remarkably, 62% of participants between 2014-2023 came from outside Devon, with 20% of those being international practitioners from France, USA, South Africa, India, and the Netherlands.
3. Providing a Path: Supporting skill development through clear milestones and learning goals that are simple, repeatable, and predictable for practitioners at all levels.
4. Preserving the Tradition: Collecting and archiving surviving knowledge and artefacts that connect to the historical practice, creating an important repository of this cultural heritage.
5. Serving a Community: Acting as a platform to bring enthusiasts together and fostering innovation while respecting traditional foundations.

This revival still faces significant challenges when compared to established martial arts. For context, British Judo boasts nearly 900 clubs across Great Britain with approximately 29,000 club members in England alone as of 2019. Devon Wrestling’s numbers remain very modest by comparison, highlighting both the challenge and the opportunity ahead for this reclaimed martial art.

Beyond Sport: A personal and cultural journey

What makes Devon Wrestling particularly worthy of revival extends beyond its sporting elements. The founder’s journey—beginning with conventional martial arts training before questioning whether indigenous fighting arts existed in Devon—reflects a broader cultural awakening. This personal quest to connect with local heritage resonates with many practitioners who join not just for physical training but for cultural reclamation and connection.

The tradition encompasses rich cultural practices—from specific attire and pre-match rituals to distinctive terminology and ethical codes. These elements provide a window into historical West Country life that archaeological artefacts alone cannot capture.

Moreover, these martial arts embodied values that remain relevant today: physical struggle, strength and agility, fair play and respect for opponents, the balance of competition and community, and the celebration of local identity. In an era of disconnection, such traditions offer valuable social frameworks that ground participants in their regional heritage while connecting them to practitioners worldwide.

Conclusion

The martial traditions of Devon and the broader West Country represent more than quaint historical footnotes—they embody cultural knowledge developed over centuries and adapted specifically to local conditions. Their revival would not merely preserve techniques but would reconnect communities with authentic aspects of their heritage.

As other regions successfully reclaim their traditional fighting arts—from Breton Gouren, to Welsh and Scottish Backhold—the time has come for Devon Wrestling to receive similar recognition and support. In doing so, we honour not only the past but create living traditions that can evolve and thrive for generations to come. So the hills and valleys of Devon once echoed with the sounds of traditional wrestling matches; with proper effort and appreciation, they could do so again.