This is only intended to be the briefest outline of the history of English martial arts the purpose of which is to convey the authenticity of the system to those of you who are unaware that it exists.

England is not the first home of the English; their ancestral home which was known as Angeln, was situated on the mainland of continental Europe in an area that roughly corresponds to the southern half of present day Denmark. The Engle, as the English were then known, were a Germanic race so it is likely that their culture would have had something in common with that of other Germanic races who settled the region. It is therefore not unreasonable to suppose certain likenesses in the military skills of the early English and the methods of other early Germanic peoples of Western Europe. In this context it may then be possible to deduce, or infer, some knowledge of the military practises of the Engle (English) from classical sources such as Tacitus.

It is human nature to improve knowledge and hone skills, attitudes epitomised by martial artists. Each generation of martial artists will avidly absorb instruction from their teachers and then just as avidly pass it on to the next generation. It is likely that the martial knowledge of the English was passed from generation to generation in this way for centuries (as it was/is for example in China). In addition to inherited knowledge there would also have been imported knowledge resulting from, for example, the Danish and Norman invasions.

In earlier times, when populations were relatively small, martial skills were taught to male children by relatives, family friends, or perhaps even by the tribe's 'champion'. However, as the population and the demand for martial training grew, schools specific to that purpose began to appear (known to the English as Scholes of Fence) We know that such schools were in existence at least as early as the 12th century because of the following legislation (circa 1180 A.D.) recorded in the liber albus (white book).

...And that nobody may hold school of sword and buckler within the city on pain of imprisonment:

The above date is the earliest known evidence of the existence of such schools, even so, it should not be taken to mean that such schools were not in existence before that date. Indeed, the legislation infers that such schools were already prevalent which opens up the possibility of an even earlier origin. Similar legislation was passed a century later (1285 A.D.) during the reign of king Edward I, proving not only the continuing popularity of martial arts in England but also the ineffectiveness of such legislation in the first place.

The English Martial Arts are a cultural legacy that the many of the English people have let fall by the wayside. There are today, only a handful of practitioners that know the whole system of weapons and unarmed techniques of the original Noble Science of Defence. But those few, are keeping alive part of the English Culture, that allowed millions of English, in days gone by to defeat their enemies, and to put justice and civilisation where there was none.

Today, people everywhere are reaching out for the Martial Arts of other cultures, due I think to the many Kung Fu films that are in circulation, and maybe thinking that other aspects of these cultures are superior to their own. Forgetting that their own martial arts were often the skills used to subdue these other cultures. Now that statement may be politically inncorect, but the truth is the truth. England was in days of old well known for it's warriors, and fighting skills.

The English had at their disposal an extremely sophisticated martial arts system that was every bit as effective as those originating in the orient, and judging by the history of the English their martial skills were probably superior to those of these other cultures. The change came in the english martial arts, when ballistic warfare began to become more important than close quarter combat. However many traditional European martial arts survived, both for civilian self defence, and for the sporting arena, but a common place for them to go was the theatre, as in stage combat. although the stage combat of days gone by is far removed from what is seen on the stage and screen today. England today, by comparison with the England of say five hundred years ago, is a utopia, a fact noted by the Chronicler Holinshead who in 1586, wrote the following:

Seldom shall you see one of my countrymen above eighteen or twenty yeares old to go without a dagger at least at his backe or his side, although they are aged burgesses or magistrates of a citie, who in appearance are most exempt from brabbling and contention. our nobilitie weare commonly swords or rapiers with these daggers, as doth everie common serving man that followeth his lord and master...... Finallie no man travelleth by the waie without his sword or somesuch weapon except the minister, who commonly weareth none at all unlesse it is a dagger or a hanger at his side.

( Aylward, English Master of Arms...)

(excerpt taken from English Martial Arts by Terry Brown )

These statements clearly state that the majority of Englishmen, carried weapons, and had the right to do so, which dispells the myth that the common people were a helpless downtrodden section of society, and a few good historians , have failed to teach otherwise. In doing so they have overlooked one of the most potent forces in the development of English society and democracy the ever present threat of armed insurrection forced authority to show the population a respect and consideration that was rare elsewhere. something that is missing from government today. A century before Bhodidarma, Ammianus Marcellinus ( c. AD. 400 ) recorded that:

Almost all of the Gauls are of tall stature, fair and ruddy, terrible for the fierceness of their eyes, fond of quarrelling, and of overbearing insolence. In fact a whole band of foreigners will be unable to cope with one of them in a fight, if he calls in his wife, stronger than he by far and with flashing eyes; least of all when she swells her neck and gnashes her teeth, and poising her huge white arms, begins to rain blows mingled with kicks, like shots discharged by the twisted cords of a catapult.

The English martial arts offer a wide variety of weapons , and unarmed techniques. The unarmed aspects of the noble science, offers a complete self defence system of unarmed combat. Now the majority of people still think of bare knuckle boxing to be a crude and brutal art, practiced by thugs. But in reality the bare fist fighting side of the art is a sophisticated system of combat, that can stand on it's own as a fighting art. The techniques include everything from closed fist techniques, open hand techniques, elbow , and arm techniques. There are also kicking, sweeping, and knee techniques. as well as headbutting. Grappling also plays a part in the Bare fist fighting of the Noble science, the famous cross buttock, and flying mare, are just two of the weapons from the grappling armoury, and there are many more aspects to the bare fist side of the art, many of which have to be seen.

The weapon Arts of the English system are numerous. from the broadsword, sword and dagger, sword and buckler, backsword, two hand sword, and bastard sword. Quarterstaff, numerous polearms, threshalls, and cudgells. But the main aspect of the art is the fighting spirit that the art and training gives the student. The fighting spirit that other Martial arts speak of is nothing compared to the fighting spirit given to the student of English martial arts. The English system of martial arts, is a science, a deadly science that teaches people to not only defend themselves, but also their community.