Cornish wrestling
Form of wresting originating in Cornwall, England
科尼什式摔跤 · コーニッシュ・レスリング
- Type
- wrestling, sport
Cornish wrestling (Cornish: Omdowl Kernewek) is a form of wrestling that has been established in Cornwall for many centuries and possibly longer. It is similar to the Breton Gouren wrestling style. It is colloquially known as "wrasslin’" in the Cornish dialect of English; historically, this usage is attested by Chaucer, Shakespeare and Drayton.
The referee is known as a 'stickler', and it is claimed that the popular meaning of the word as a 'pedant' originates from this usage.
Cornish wrestling is a national sport of Cornwall, which spread throughout the British Isles and then, along with the Cornish diaspora, to such places as the United States, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand and South Africa.
It has similarities to Devon wrestling but it was reputed to focus less on foot moves and more on throwing.
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q4354339 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.