Devonshire wrestling

Devon wrestling was a distinctive, and now extinct, regional style characterised by a strong emphasis on kicking or tripping the opponent. It had a long historical background. Nathaniel Crouch, in his 1710 Admirable curiosities, rarities, & wonders in England, Scotland, and Ireland, noted that "Cornish and Devonshire men are active in wrestling, and such boisterous exercises, stout, and able of body" (page 23); and in 1793, Sporting Magazine told of two unusual champions: the short and bow-legged J Coppe ("The Little Cock") and the blind W Wreyford ("Blind Will") (pages 166-167). Another late 18th century account was written by Frances Burney, who on a visit to Teignmouth in 1773 called it "a barbarous diversion", noting the detail reported by many others: that vicious kicking was a central tactic (see The rise of the Devon seaside resorts 1750-1900, John F. Travis, page 20).

By the time Devon wrestling was widely documented, however, in the 19th century, it was already on the decline, but a number of vivid accounts remain. Sabine Baring-Gould's Devonshire Wrestlers, a chapter in his 1908 Devonshire Characters and Strange Events is a classic that explains the basics of the sport. The wresters wore linen jackets, breeches and specially hardened shoes, and typically action involved getting a grip (a "hitch") on your opponent's jacket and attempting to make him lose his footing by close-quarters kicking, hacking and tripping. Although sometimes leg padding was worn, more likely it wasn't, and wrestlers - who had to fight several elimination rounds - often finished bouts with grievous injuries to the shins.

Older sources include the London Magazine article for October 1826, in which "Gymnast" gives an extended description of Devon and Cornish wrestling (page 160-) and account of the famous match between Devon's Abraham Cann and the Cornish miner Warren. The Annual Register for October 1826 (pages 157-8) tells of another classic match at Devonport, where Cann fought the Cornishman Polkinghorne.

Devon wrestling features in at least two novels: RD Blackmore's 1864 novel Clara Vaughan (see the Internet Archive, ID claravaughanbyr01vauggoog), and Baring-Gould's 1887 Red Spider.

- RG