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What is Danelaw HEMA all about?

Historical European Martial arts is a passion of ours.

We wanted to put together a sparring club of like-minded people who just want to turn up, shoot the breeze and get some sword fights in. So far, we've really been enjoying it.

Each of us has a different focus, whether it be sources we're studying or trying to recreate moves from the Witcher 3...

Either way we're here to have fun and get better at what we love, fighting with swords.

What about other weapons?!

You're right, there's more to life than just swords, and we're well aware. If I'm honest, I'd encourage you to become a jack of all trades and learn to fight with a bunch of different things!

We play with axes, shields, maces, polearms, muskets and all sorts of other whacky weapons you can think of.

We like to balance our training with a few serious steel bouts, then when we're knackered, start getting random!

What about the sources though!

So our leader Wes didn't start HEMA following any traditional sources. He started within the Order of the Blade, which took a more modern approach to learning swordfighting.

However Wes developed a passion for the old-stuff, and began trying tons, from I33 to see how that worked for different shields 

And instead of leaving it there, carried on looking into other manuscripts. Getting heavily into British military sabre, German coverd cut systems and then falling into the Rabbit hole of English Backsword, and English longsword
He's no pro, and admit's he still feels very new to HEMA in general, only had a handful of tournament fights, and no scorecard to shout about yet. We're moving in the right direction though.

Some of our members come from long reenactment backgrounds, modern fencing and various other martial arts, so we get some really interesting match-ups! 

This gives us so much to draw from in our living lineage, influencing how we all read our chosen sources and what we get out of sparring in general.

Yeah whatever, but how do you TEACH the sources?

We try to take the main concepts and underlying commonalities, and focus on these. Depending on weapon styles, we might focus more on one source than others, as is natural. However overall it isn't for us to fully convince you of our interpretation, but to encourage you to understand and build your own, then bonk you on the head when it's inefficient or doesn't work quite as you want it!

Again, we're no masters, but we know how to put things to the test and find a way that works for us. 

The reason our students do it

So... Back to the Sources

Sigh Fine.

The sources we base our teaching around are:

Longsword, we use a blended approach, mix of Meyer, Fiore, English Longsword. Terminology-wise, it's mostly the German terms, because they tend to be the most popular and they're also stuck in my head.

Sabre & single-handed, We use Hutton, Musgrave Waite, also Hans Lecküchner messer for weapons without hand protection, and also a sprinkling of Kali/Escrima. In parallel, we also have English Backsword from George Silver, which some of the techniques I feel can fit in well.

Rapier & Dagger we're pretty much free-styling if I'm honest, I haven't read much about it, but I'm working on it.

Sword and Shield, we use a practical approach to I33, simply to piss off Fred and Rob. However this isn't the floaty stuff you find online, it's an effort to bring it's concepts into a more practical use. We also look at some of the Iberian styles of sword and buckler for extra advice on tactics and other postures.

Staff/Quarterstaff I use Wylde and Silver from the English traditions. 

Polearm, is pretty much freestyle

Dagger, I just use Kali/Escrima, so technically no European source. For Reverse dagger.... maybe try another club

Taught sessions are on Thursday nights

All sessions are on a two-week-on and one-week-off basis, get in touch to find the latest one.

No kit needed for new starters, however face and neck protection, and gloves are highly recommended. 

Classes will consist of the first hour of teaching, specific weapon, technique and concept. The second hour will be more free-form, with free-sparring allowed for those with kit.

CLICK HERE for our full Kit recommendations

After roughly 8 weeks of training, and dependant on your kit levels and progress, additional sparring sessions may become available.

For Anyone Sparring (Not available for beginners):

350N full HEMA kit recommended at a minimum. Most of our fighters use full 800N - 1600N tournament kit.

You MUST have club insurance either through us OR have a valid insurance via another reputable HEMA club. If you're unsure about your insurance status, get in touch and we'll look at your individual situation.

CLICK HERE for our full Kit recommendations

At Danelaw sparring group, we are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all members, especially children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We recognise our responsibility to promote welfare and safeguard all participants involved in our HEMA training, events, and activities. Our approach to safeguarding is built on the following principles:

Our Commitment

To ensure that all members can train in a safe and supportive environment To treat everyone with respect, fairness, and dignity To take all safeguarding concerns seriously and respond appropriately To create a culture where individuals feel able to speak up about concerns

Safeguarding Practice We:

Follow relevant safeguarding legislation and good practice guidance Ensure that instructors and volunteers understand their safeguarding responsibilities Maintain appropriate supervision ratios during training sessions Promote safe physical contact and responsible use of training equipment Take steps to minimise risk during all training activities

Working With Children and Vulnerable Adults

Where we train individuals under 18 or vulnerable adults, we: Require parental/guardian consent where appropriate Encourage open communication with parents and carers Ensure that activities are age-appropriate and conducted safely Provide clear behaviour expectations for both instructors and participants

For Synth Sparring

For Light sparring with Synth weapons (Excluding most polearms) then we would recommend the following

For Anybody who wants to do full contact sparring with Steel swords

We expect that all fencers will have the courtesy of asking their opponent if they are lacking in any kit, or have any conditions which may reduce the intensity of sparring prior to starting any sparring bout.

Not all kit is visible on all people. So please ask.

As for our recommendations: 

Fencing Mask: 350N or 1600N masks

Back of Head Protection: The back of the head needs to be covered by a solid, rigid protector, without significant gaps. Concessions can be made for light synth sparring without back-of-head protection, but only with a controlled opponent.

Gorget: We require a throat guard covering the front of the throat, worn under the mask and jacket, and including a rigid plate (soft foam alone is not good enough). Gorgets with plastic like Red Dragons, PBT etc are permitted. 

Jackets: 

Jacket must be rated to at least 350N. Although 800N is preferred
Jacket should have a blade catcher at the collar.

Chest protector: I highly recommend a hard plastic chest protector or plastron to be worn underneath your gambeson.

Gloves: longsword: heavy gloves designed for longsword fencing, such as SPES Heavy gloves  or Sparring Gloves. Red Dragon or similar gloves are not suitable.

Gloves: sabre + sword and buckler: Red Dragon gloves are the mimimun protection allowed for sabre & similar. Anything with little to no hand protection, a longsword standard glove is highly recommended.

Gloves: rapier: padded sport fencing gloves are the minimum level of protection. Gloves must overlap the sleeves of the jacket.

Elbows: Solid protection is required

Forearms: Solid protection is required 

Knees: Solid protection including the sides of the knee is required for all weapons.

Shins: Solid protection required for all weapons.

Trousers: 350N rated fencing breeches or trousers are highly recommended

Groin Guard: Strongly recommended for all fencers, mandatory if your anatomy requires it. This must be worn under trousers or breeches.

Safety first

If we feel you are in any way a danger to yourself or others, you may be asked to leave the class, and possibly barred from future classes. 

 Our 8-week starter course is designed for complete beginners, curious dabblers, and anyone who thinks “that looks fun” when they see swords clashing.

What you’ll get:

•  A hands-on introduction to a mix of historical weapons (not just one, we like variety)
• A friendly, no-pressure environment—no experience, no fitness level required
• The basics of movement, control, and not bonking your training partner too hard
• A chance to try something a bit different from the usual gym routine
• Weapons we'll focus on: Longsword, Sabre/Broadsword, Sword and shield

Who’s it for?

• Complete beginners
• History nerds
• People who just want to whack things (safely and socially acceptably)
• Anyone who’s ever said “I’ll give it a go”

What you won’t get:

Shouting drill sergeants

Elitism or gatekeeping

Any requirement to already own a suit of armour (we checked—it’s inconvenient)

The vibe:

We take the training seriously enough to do it properly…but not so seriously that you can’t laugh when things inevitably go a bit sideways, or more likely, backwards and onto their arse!

Course schedule:

 The course runs in four blocks of two weeks. With a week off in between each.

 Each block will focus on a particular weapon and methodology.

Giving you a week off to rest and ready yourself for the next one!

After you've completed a beginners course and become a full member, you'll then be able to attend our more regular and affordable sparring sessions and put your skills to the test!