Devon wrestling or Devonshire wrestling is a type of wrestling that originated in Devon, England, which was popular in the nineteenth century.[1] The Devonshire fashion of wrestling allows hardened footwear to be worn and kicking intended to disable the opponent.
| Also known as | Devonshire Wrestling |
|---|---|
| Focus | Grappling, Kicking |
| Country of origin |   Devon, England |
| Famous practitioners | Abraham Cann |
| Olympic sport | No |
It has similarities to Cornish wrestling but it was reputed to focus more on foot moves and less on throwing.[2] In the eighteenth and nineteenth century many Devon wrestlers used to wear "baked" boots when wrestling, which could cause serious injury to opponents (on rare occasions leading to death).[3]
Notable wrestlers edit
The best known champion Devon wrestler is Abraham Cann of Colebrooke, Devon.[4] Cann was the Devon champion and faced the Cornish champion James Polkinghorne in a match in Devonport in 1826, watched by a crowd of over 10,000. After discussions between the triers, the match was declared a draw.[5][6][7] A song was written about the match.[8][9] Cann had defeated John Jordan, Flower, Wreyford, Simon Webber, and the other good wrestlers in Devon, and carried off the prizes at many of the places where he became a competitor.
References edit
- ^ "Bayview House Lynmouth". Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
- ^ Sam Sam's Son (1831). "Letter to the editor: Wrestling in Cornwall and Devonshire, October 8, 1827". The Every-Day Book and Table Book, Vol III. By William Hone. London: Published for T. Tegg, sold by R. Griffin. pp. 499–502.
- ^ Anita Merritt (30 June 2019). "The Salutation Inn: A past that includes smuggling, wrestling and elephants". DevonLive. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- ^ "Abraham Cann". Rootsweb. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Devonshire Wrestling". Crediton Museum. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ^ Boase, George C (1886). "Cann, Abraham (1794–1864), wrestler". Dictionary of National Biography Vol. VIII. Smith, Elder & Co. Retrieved 24 October 2023. The first edition of this text is available at Wikisource: . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
- ^ Walter Armstrong (1889). "Chapter IV. Styles and Systems". Wrestling. London: Longmans Green, and Co.
- ^ Unknown. A new song on the wrestling match between Cann & Polkinghorne.
- ^ Charlotte Vowles (27 June 2020). "The "Devon Hercules" who fought the Cornish and became the Champion of England". DevonLive. Retrieved 24 October 2023.