The Old Sword Club

What We Do

At The Old Sword Club we practice fencing as used in life and death duels, self defence and on the bloody battlefield's of the past. Working from historical swordplay manuals we reconstruct swordplay primarily from late 19th century Britain and test our interpretations through competitive sparring.

Currently we are teaching cutlass/sabre fencing, duelling sword (the 19th century version of a modern epee), and the odd spot of bowie knife.

The club boasts friendly and inclusive classes designed to teach beginners how to fence in a safe, fun and energetic way, followed by coached sparring to help fencers sharpen their skills. Teaching is built around open exchange of ideas and learning through focus on practical application. We also have a strong focus on making classes inclusive of diverse genders, sexualities, cultural backgrounds, ages and abilities.

The Old Sword Club is a proud part of the queer community. We were founded by queer people to be a safe and encouraging space for queer people to practice HEMA, and boast a predominantly queer membership, including the instructor and organising collective.

Whether you’re a precocious pirate, dapper duellist, ardent adventurer or just after a fun activity to do with cool people take up classes at The Old Sword Club.

Stay up to date with what we are doing @theoldswordclub