A weekend dedicated to the Rapier!

The Truth of the Sword


On Day One, Dave Rawlings will run a class based on his interpretation of ‘The Truth of the Sword’ by William Cavendish, the Earl of Newcastle, a manuscript dating to 1650, written and dedicated to Newcastle’s sons. This work is being transcribed and translated into modern English by Dave in conjunction with Gordon Hamilton, and will represent a major insight into English swordsmanship as well as the thoughts of a renowned swordsman and influential figure of the period.

Attendees will therefore be amongst the first to see and train in the modern interpretation of this style

Crossing Blades

On Day Two, Rob Runacres will focus on rapier and dagger, focusing on uniting the two to fight as a single weapon. This will draw on historical sources such as Salvator Fabris (1606), along with modern theory of this combination. Key to the workshop will be that one change in focus can lead to a superior defence.

Costs and Accommodation


The cost for the workshop will be Ł80:00

News on location and accommodation will follow soon, but we are hoping to hold the workshop in Dorking, in a very pretty part of the English countryside. Dorking has excellent communications to London (50 minutes by train from the centre) and the West and is just off the M25.

We look forward to seeing you there.