The Hotspur School of Defence pursues the historically accurate study of Europe’s traditional fighting arts, most commonly the use of the sword during the 15th Century.
Since 2003 our ethos has been 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.
As systems of defence designed explicitly for dealing with life-and-death situations, this is not re-enactment, sport-fencing, live-role-playing or theatrical stage-fighting, although many HSD students do engage in these activities to their credit.
Training at the HSD largely follows the methodologies laid down in historical texts, with an emphasis on achieving a solid grounding in the basic footwork and body mechanics before techniques are applied.
Scholars will strive to develop the ideal mindset necessary for facing the deadly assault, as espoused by the historical masters, treating each training session as though preparing to face a serious encounter with sharps.
