Historically, the greatest wrestlers of England came out of the two “most wrestling regions” of the country, the West Country (Devonshire, Somerset, Dorset and Cornwall) and the North Country (Cumberland, Westmorland, Northumberland, Durham, Lancashire and Yorkshire). Residents of those regions promoted two different wrestling styles. The West Country style which was commonly known as the Cornish-Devon Wrestling was a standing catch-hold of the jackets above the waist, tripping and hooking legs allowed, back fall decided the winner, 3 foils or “go downs” substituted 1 back fall. According to the English wrestling tradition back fall was defined as a combination of shoulders and hips touching the ground simultaneously. The North Country Wrestling which was known as the Cumberland and Westmorland Back-Hold was a fixed hold style, tripping and hooking legs allowed, first down to lose. Representatives of those two wrestling styles usually didn’t compete against each other. But sometimes they challenged one another without being specific regarding the style of wrestling. In that case wrestlers were allowed to “catch any holds of their adversary’s body (not just clothes like in Cornish-Devon) above the waist, tripping and hooking legs being allowed”; sometimes a back fall decided the winner. But since all falls were “flying falls” and many of them were “disputed falls” more often the condition of “3 go downs” decided the match. This style was popular all over the country and was known as the Catch-Hold or a Peasants’ Wrestling. This style for centuries was practiced mostly by the farmers during the revels weeks and other folk and religious festivals. It was themost commonly seen mode of wrestling on the “village greens”everywhere in England.

The “Chap-books of the Eighteenth Century” by John Ashton (published in 1882) features a story based on a folk tale about a “poor labourer in the reign of William The Conqueror called Tom Hickathrift of the Isle of Ely in Cambridgeshire.” Tom Hickathrift was a legendary character of East Anglian English folklore famous for “having more natural strength than twenty common men.” This story provides a good account of the traditional English Catch-Hold wrestling. “…he (Tom) would jump, run, and take delight in young company, and go to fairs and meetings, to see sports and diversions. One day going to the wake, where the young men were met, some went to wrestling, and some to cudgels, some to throwing the hammer and the like… After this Tom joined the wrestlers; and though he had no more skill than an ass, yet by main strength he flung all he grappled with; if once he laid hold, they were gone; some he threw over his head, and others he laid down gently. He did not attempt to lock or strike at their heels, but threw them down two or three yards from him, and sometimes on their heads, ready to break their necks. So that at last none durst enter the ring to wrestle with him; for they took him to be some devil among them.” Interestingly, Tom’s proficiency in strength and his speed allowed him to lay (catch) hold, lift and throw all his opponents with great ease. The choice of this strategy prevailed over other popular wrestling techniques, such as “locking and striking” (hooking legs and tripping). This narrative shows the evolution of English folk wrestling tactics, and how taking the advantageous and fast hold became the dominant wrestling technique.

Famous Egerton Genesis (3rd quarter of the XIVcentury) contains beautiful visualization of such English "Peasants’Wrestling." On the sketch we see three pairs of wrestlers struggling for thepalm. The applied catch-holds techniques are shin kicking at Arm's Length,Close Struggle’s hooking legs and “playing with the hip” (Headlock intoCross-Buttock) at Side Holds Hugging. Notably, the wrestling style towhich greatest English Renaissance author William Shakespeare refers toin his famous "As You Like It" was also a Catch-Hold wrestling.

Traditional English Catch-hold was a product of evolution of the folk and professional English wrestling styles which predated it. In the pre-Renaissance England there were 3 such styles of wrestling. There were no jackets or garments of any kind worn by pro wrestlers of that era, instead the wrestlers were wearing the “wrestling tools” which they used for “taking holds by” during matches. One of those “tools” was a “wrestling collar” and another was a “wrestling belt.” Besides wearing those special “tools” wrestlers usually had only a loin clothes (or shorts) on them, so they basically they were half-nude, often no shoes were worn. The Medieval English wrestling styles were:

1) The Collar Wrestling (wrastelynge by the coler). The “Collar”' was a simple rope or a shawl tied either around the neck or around the torso (over one shoulder and under the other). It was a catch-hold wrestling style, one hand to the collar and with another hand wrestlers usually would grab the wrist or the elbow of their opponent. In this style wrestlers had each other on a distance, at arms’ length, so all their efforts were focused on the footwork. Tripping, hooking/crooking opponent's leg with your own leg, and yes of course kicking, or striking was important part of it. Only “fair” kicking below the knee was allowed. The best collar wrestlers of England came from the Norfolk County. Notably, the crest of the local noble family of Norman origin De Gournay (modern spelling Gurney) of West Barsham and Keswick was a wrestling collar in an enameled ring.

2) The Belt Wrestling (wrastelynge by holdster). The “Belt” was usually also a rope or a stout leather belt girdled around the waist. It was also a catch-hold style, one hand to the belt and with another hand wrestlers usually would grasp the wrist or elbow of their opponent. In this style wrestlers would try to get in a close quarters, and the cross-buttock would be the main way of throwing, they called it a hip-lift techniques, tripping and hooking also were important at that style. In this style there was less kicking since it was not as productive as when you have your man at arms’ length.

3) The Hug (hugg wrastelynge). In this style both men equally grabbed each other “above and under the shoulder” and from that hold (fixed hold wrestling) were supposed to give a fall. The only legit methods of throwing were: tugging, swaying and lifting. Neither use of legs or feet for throwing nor any other wrestling technique was allowed. The physical strength was a decisive factor for winning those contests.

Both the “collar” and “belt” wrestling styles were of Norman origin and the “hug” was of Norse or Scandinavian (North Germanic) heritage. Grabbing “tools” with both hands was allowed. In English folk and pro wrestling matches the noble art of tripping was a number one skill. Back falls governed wrestling contests very rare, since from a standing position (it was a Standing Wrestling) to achieve a back fall is pretty hard (depending on the definition of the back fall of course), and no one needed to waste time on further argumentation whether there was or wasn't a fall (aka disputed falls). Back fall had different definitions (various combinations of shoulders, hips and heels) but perfect back fall was a complete flat horizontal position – perfectly aligned neck, shoulders, hips, buttocks, heels striking the ground at the same time. Though most of the wrestling matches were “3 go downs” to lose meaning that it was enough to take opponent down on any part of his body (including knees, or hands), basically it was enough to cause any kind of fall by a simple take-down.

As it was previously mentioned any holds below the waist were strictly prohibited, yet the catch-holds of the legs and feet were known in English folk wrestling but solely and only as a reaction on the unfair kicking, i.e. kicking of the knee or kicking above the knee. The great depictions of these kind of holds are present in the form of Medieval misericords’ wood carvings such as those in the Abbey of St Mary the Virgin, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire (XIV century) and in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle (XV century).

The pro wrestlers of that era were entertaining crowds during the religious or folk festivals which were held downtown, usually on the erected wooden stage, or they would go and perform on the special occasions at the castles which belonged to the local nobility. It was a paid job. In England unlike in many other European countries profession of wrestling entertainer was well established during the Middle Ages. Usually it was a travelling troupe of performers (just like acrobats, or artists) with a “manager” (veteran pro wrestler) who was trying to book his men making sure that they always have a job. The wrestlers just like other professionals (craftsmen) of that era had their own guilds (unions).

Nottinghamshire's Sir Thomas Parkyns (1662-1741), who was known as the “Wrestling Baronet” of Bunny and master of self-defense Zachary Wylde of Yorkshire both promoted Catch-Hold wrestling in the early 1700s. Parkyns "taketh what he pleaseth of him" and Wylde suggests to "take hold wherever he pleases" even including the dangerous full-nelson hold. In both cases only holds taken above the waist were considered fair.

Parkyns became famous all around the country as an author of wrestling manuals. These include, “Inn Play or Cornish Hugg Wrestler” as well as a set of “General Rules of English Wrestling,” the fullest edition of which was published in 1727. His wrestling style was the Catch-Hold, in which an initial hold doesn't exist; neither does any applied hold needed to be maintained during the match. Holds were not restricted to any sort of garments (as in Cornish/Devon) but also could be applied directly to the parts of the person’s body above the waist (neck, arms, and torso). The fair back fall was counted when two joints simultaneously hit the ground, and 3 foils (if either of two wrestlers fell upon any part of the body) were a substitute for one fair back fall. All matches were 3 out of 5 fair back falls. The wrestler would wear a waistcoat and shirt. The definition of “two joints” differed from place to place. Generally it stood for the combination of shoulder and hip on the opposite side.

Parkyns was a founder of the first annually held professional wrestling championship tournament in Bunny, Nottinghamshire. This championship existed for many years after his death and the last such tourney was held in 1809. Also it was Parkyns who in the 1700s established a basic pro wrestling promotion. At his place, he had several men whom he employed for the purpose of doing wrestling exhibitions (matches) for his friends and himself for entertainment.

For centuries there were always two champions of England those of the West and of the North. One of the famous attempts to get in the ring both champions happened in 1817. About three miles from Pinner in London, West and North finally clashed for the Championship of England. The match was for 10 guineas (gold coin worth 21 shillings) a-side. A Somersetshire man named Sam Harber wrestled Isaac Nicholson of Thirsk (North Yorkshire). Both men weighed 13st. It was a dramatic struggle that lasted 12 minutes. Westerner won by giving his opponent a “sweeping cross-buttock.” The news reports weren't specific regarding the style used in that particular contest. But it’s obvious that it was Catch-Hold since it was a one fall match and Catch-Hold was the only existing compromised style. As it was said before back then wrestlers usually competed only in their own style and there was no competitions open to the representatives
of both styles. Often Catch-Hold was called the as the “wrestling according to the London Prize Ring Rules”, which was a standing catchhold of the body above the waist, tripping and hooking legs allowed, back fall decided the victor, sometimes 3 foils substituted 1 back fall. This style was easy to learn and it didn't require any “specific knowledge”, unlike the Cumberland Back-hold (fixed hold style) or Cornish/Devon style (jacket holds only). In 1851, there was an attempt to make a “match of the century” between the two best wrestlers of their time in England. The Cumberland and Westmorland Back-hold Champion Robert Atkinson was supposed to wrestle against the Champion of Cornish/Devon Ring, Thomas Gundry. The conditions were supposed to be 2 falls in Back-hold, 2 falls in Cornish/Devon, and the odd fall in Catch-as-catch-can (more likely according to the London Prize Ring Rules). Unfortunately this match never happened.

The Astley Championship Belt.