Devon wrestling
Form of wrestling from Devon, England
- Country of origin
- England
- Type
- folk wrestling
Devon wrestling or Devonshire wrestling is a type of wrestling that originated in Devon, England,
which was popular in the nineteenth century. The Devonshire style of wrestling allows footwear to be worn and kicking intended to trip and disable the opponent.
It has similarities to Cornish wrestling but it focuses more on foot moves and less on throwing. Traditionally, Cornish wrestling used 'Hugs and heaves', whereas the Devonshire style used 'Kicks and trips'.
Despite some differences in emphasis and naming conventions, the two styles are considered to be the same, and may be referred to collectively as 'Westcountry Play', or 'Westcountry Wrestling'.
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q5267797 (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.