1595 Club

Elizabethan swordsmanship, specialising in the works of Saviolo

Aberdeen Swordsmanship Group

The Aberdeen Swordsmanship Group exists as a non-profit making study group to:

• Provide training and Study into historical European swordsmanship.


• Uphold a true historical and martial approach to all teachings done within the group.


• Conduct research into historical European swordsmanship, to contribute to the Western martial art community's overall understanding of historical treatises and their meanings.

Academie Gloriana

Elizabethan Swordsmanship, specialising in the works of George Silver

Aisle O'var Backswording Clubbe

Aisle O'var are scholars and practitioners of the Ancient and Noble Science of Defence and that most excellent of ancient country sports, English Country Backswording Circa 1600.

Our main focus is in the study of the single-handed broadsword/backsword and the English Quarterstaff/Tip staff using the principles of the true fight as laid down by George Silver in his Paradoxes of Defence in 1599 and his unpublished manuscript A brief instruction upon my paradoxes of defence and many other historical treatises for our studies of Historical European Martial Arts in order that we practise a complete martial system.

Boar's Tooth Fight School

We are involved in the translation, study, and practice of the historical European martial arts, based on original combat treatises and our martial arts experience. Classes are led by David Rawlings, a full time instructor and author of two dvds on historical swordsmanship, he has taught at martial arts events across Europe and is a member of HEMAC, the Historical European Martial Arts Coalition.

We have three main areas of study and training:

1. The Liechtenauer lineage of 14th-16thC German knightly arts.


2. The 13thC sword and buckler source known as I.33.


3. 18-19thC British pugilism.

Cut and Thrust - The Schoole of Defence

C15th - C18th

Dawn Duellists Society

The Dawn Duellists Society is a historical fencing group studying the martial art of fencing, based in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland's capital. It aims to replicate as closely as possible the study of the arts of fencing in Western Europe from the 13th to 19th centuries. Studies cover disciplines as wide ranging as medieval longsword and sword and buckler through renaissance rapier to the military sabre, classical fencing and stick arts of the 19th century.

Exiles Company of Medieval Martial Artists

Glasgow Company of Duellists

The Glasgow Company of Duellists was set up with the intention of bringing a HEMA presence to the West of Scotland. We are based in the West end of Scotland's greatest city and are currently studying German Longsword in the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer. As the GCoD becomes more firmly established, we intend to branch into other areas of swordsmanship.

Grey School of Western Martial Arts

Highland Freebooters

The Highland Freebooters are a swordplay group located in the north-west of Scotland, near the Isle of Skye. We are dedicated to the study, practice and advancement of historical European swordsmanship.
Our primary aim is the pursuit the art of historical swordplay through treatises of the medieval and renaissance periods, training in longsword, rapier, singlesword and buckler and other weapons. We achieve this through our own research from historical sources and the support of other groups and organisations. We are not sport-fencers or re-enactors, though we do attend re-enactment events.

Hotspur School of Defence

The HSD pursues the historically accurate study of Europe's traditional fighting arts, most commonly the use of sword between the years 1300 and 1700. Our ethos is to research, practice and uphold the teachings and legacy of the original historical masters of defence, according to the principles they recorded for all time.

Linacre School of Defence

The Linacre School of Defence exists to train its members in a pragmatic and martial approach to 18th-century British martial arts. Training is conducted in the small-sword, back-sword and pugilism as if preparing for a serious encounter rather than school play. The intention is to produce martial artists capable of competently defending their lives in a manner with which our ancestors would have been familiar.
To develop the skills of our students we attempt to meet and train with practitioners of diverse (primarily Western) systems whenever possible. We aim also to promote an understanding of the theory of the art through the study of period texts.

Schola Gladiatoria

Schola Gladiatoria is led by Matt Easton and has 3 main chapters located in London (Ealing, Muswell Hill and Enfield). We have taught at seminars across Europe since 2001.
Our primary focus is the early-15th century treatise Fior di Battaglia, by Fiore dei Liberi. We translated this source from medieval Italian in 1999-2000 and share our translations online. This source covers unarmed combat, dagger, sword in one and two hands, in armour and out of armour, spear, pollaxe and more.
We have secondary areas of study in other sources; our Enfield chapter specialises in 17th century English and Dutch sources.

School of the Sword

The primary goal of the School of the Sword is the interpretation, teaching and practice of Italian swordplay from c1530 to 1640, with a particular focus on the rapier techniques of Francesco Alfieri.
Our secondary goal is to provide educational and entertaining workshops and displays of historically accurate swordplay from c.1540 to 1740.
Students start by learning the art of the single sword and progress to using the sword with companion weapons such as the dagger and the cloak. At all times there is an emphasis on using techniques that are historically correct and martially effective.
It is our intention to publish both historical analysis and training articles. This will include the results of our current ongoing project to translate and analyse Francesco Alfieri's "La Scherma" (1640)
Originally formed in 1998, the group has since grown and is a member group of the British Federation for Historical Swordplay. We are also represented in the Historical European Martial Arts Coalition (HEMAC).

School of Traditional Medieval Fencing

The School of Traditional Medieval Fencing practises the art of swordsmanship as taught by the German fencing master Sigmund Ringeck.

We study Ringeck's fencing manual and teach our students techniques and principles laid down in the 1400s, which means that we are able accurately to recreate his style of swordsmanship.

Society for the Study of Swordsmanship - Durham

Society for the Study of Swordsmanship - Leeds

Society for the Study of Swordsmanship - Newcastle

Society for the Study of Swordsmanship - Sheffield

Society for the Study of Swordsmanship - Whitby

Sussex Rapier School

All things Rapier mainly C16th - C17th

The Grange