H E M A

in Bedfordshire

Aisle O'var Academy of Arms

Historical sword fencing club

also serving Cambs and Herts

8:00pm -10:00pm, every Wednesday

Venue: Maple Tree School, Hawk Drive, Sandy SG19 2WA

in Tempsford 10am - 1pm, every 3rd Sunday*

Venue: Stuart Memorial Hall, Tempsford


Want to join us? 

call, WhatsApp or email

07785 254510

jedpascoe.illustration@gmail.com

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Learn Traditional English martial arts

The purpose of the club is the study and practice of historical martial arts to promote health and well-being and to provide an enjoyable and friendly training environment for adults from all backgrounds.

Every 3rd Sunday of each month*

Tempsford 10am - 1pm, every 3rd Sunday

Venue: Stuart Memorial Hall, Tempsford


We teach:

Steel Backsword

Arming sword/broadsword/sabre

Sword and buckler

Paired weapons

English Longsword

English Quarterstaff

Spear and shield formation battle techniques

Classic English Pugilism

Indigenous English Wrestling styles

WW2 combat tactics - empty hand and knife

All the above combine into the form known as TE-MA

NEW!

We teach Rapier in select groups. 


We are also the primary club for the promotion and practice of that most excellent of sports: 

Our teaching is based on several English and other treatises on swordsmanship, but the foundation of our system is 

Brief Instructions Upon My Paradoxes of Defence 

George Silver, c. 1599/61

Other masters studied or included are Henry Angelo, Roworth & Taylor, Joseph Swetnam, Zachary Wilde, Donald McBane, John Musgrave Waite, Alfred Hutton, Mendoza, Dempsey, Capo Ferro, Vincente Saviolo, and Thibault. We also present the Harleian and Ledlian MSS on the English Longsword and reference such works as i33 (The Tower Fight-book) and the Stockholm manual on Sabre fencing

Instructors also bring their personal experiences into class and teach techniques learned through hard application in tournament and life training.

 Grading System

We run an eight-step grading system as required by our national Governing Body, the Amateur Martial Association.

We aim for three gradings per year, based upon the number of modules that a student has completed, although there is a longer gap between gradings for senior students.  Each completed module is awarded with a certificate, and every certificate earned goes toward the next grading. Successful students receive a sash which denotes their new grade and their licences are updated accordingly. This means that students may train at equal levels in all disciplines, and there is no set order in which the modules must be learned, keeping all classes fresh and lively.

We find that the sash system enables the instructors to immediately recognise what level any given student has achieved; and that it gives the student a series of milestones by which they can gauge their progress. 

The sash was adopted in recognition of the bare-fist pugilists and prize-fighters of past centuries who would wear a sash about the waist

It also means that our syllabus can be geared to phased learning, as well as allowing us to introduce new elements fired by an instructor's or coach's personal interests.

The highest grade is the Maister, denoted by the wearing of a Gold Sash. Maisters can be further graded by another four levels.

The system allows for grades and categories of Maister - for example, in a session where more than one Maister is present, the oldest one is given the soubriquet 'Ancient Maister'. Progression through the Maister grades is available for those who stay the course.

We also run a coaching system in parallel with, but separate from, the syllabus, as well as first aid courses and tournament judging courses. 


English Country Backswording 


English Country Backswording (ECB), called Singlestick play by the Victorians, is an ancient sport which was played at country fairs and revels. The winner was the the first player ('Old Gamester') to draw an inch of blood from his opponent's scalp! Today, we play to a safer set of rules- none the less painful for the inexperienced- wherein the winner is the first to score three 'Bloods' (hits to the head above the brow line). Bouts can last minutes- or in the case of some finals, over an hour. 

The Aisle O'Var is a founder member of the English Country Backswording Association, formed to hold Backswording tournaments between clubs.


See more

 The Social side

It's not all hard work.

The club has a social side as well, and we try to hold at least a couple of evening dinners every year as well as fun days out together. Partners and, where appropriate, families, are invited to join in the fun - most of us enjoy dressing in period costume, but there's no pressure on anyone to get tooled up. 

AOAA Members at Sandy Carnival. The theme was 'Space', so Jedi and Sith were the natural choice!

And we won the walking float trophy!