Category: Sword Articles

FOR THE LIGHT CAVALRY, the official regulations of 1788 stipulated that:

“The Hilts to be of the same form as those now used by the Light Dragoons, – and to be Five Inches long in the Grip. – The Blades to be Thirty Six Inches long, – and the Curve in the Centre to be One Inch and Three Quarters from the strait line:- The Breadth to be One Inch and one Half at the Shoulder,- The Blade to be three Eighths of an Inch thick, and to finish about Eleven Inches from the Point.”

In general (we cannot be definite as there are so many variants) the sword comprised a steel hilt with a straight, D-shaped knucklebow, double langets and plain backpiece and pommel.  Grips were invariably covered in fishskin or leather by the method of wrapping the covering over a wooden core and tightly binding the core with cord whilst still wet.  When it dried the grip had produced a series of grooves to allow the binding of steel or brass twistwire.  Scabbards were either iron or iron with leather inserts.  Blades were curved, flat-backed, with a single broad fuller, spear-pointed and double-edged towards the point.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

BEFORE 1788, British cavalry regiments did not carry a universal regulation sword and the provision of swords to troopers was under the behest of the regimental Colonel, who was free to choose whatever sword he preferred, whether British or foreign.  He was given an allowance from the Board of Ordnance to clothe and equip his regiment and consequently a great variety of swords existed in the British Army, varying in style and quality.  The temptation to abuse this freedom of choice (and subsequently pocketing a substantial profit) led to the provision of poor quality weapons, particularly swords. This resulted in a number of occasions when soldiers lost their lives unnecessarily because their swords simply failed in battle, most notably during the American Revolutionary War.  Lessons learnt from this conflict led to a consensus of belief that some kind of regulation of swords was required.  In 1787, a Board of General Officers was set up to examine the requirements for cavalry swords in the British Army.  With regards to heavy cavalry trooper swords, the following recommendations were made:

“That the Hilts of the Swords for the Regiments of Dragoon Guards and Dragoons should be half basket, the same form as those of the 6th or Inniskilling Regiment of Dragoons;- The Grip, from the Guard to the point of the Button, to be Seven Inches and five Eighths. – The Blades to be three Feet three Inches from the Guard to the Point;- The Breadth of the Blade at the Shoulder to be One Inch and five twelfths, – and the Back (of the blade) to be three Eighths of an Inch thick, and to finish about fourteen inches from the Point.”

The trooper’s “half basket hilt” (this is how it was officially described although some surviving examples exhibit basket hilts that are more enclosed) is wrought iron or steel and typically plain, with the grip covered in leather or fishskin and bound with brass wire.  Hilt bars are flattened or slightly rounded and pommels tend to be of ovoid style. 

Blades were straight, normally flat-backed, with single fullers and spear points.  They were sourced from both abroad (Germany) and English sword makers.  It was at this time that a fierce debate began as to the quality of British and German sword blades, with British makers insisting on tests to prove their superiority.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE OFFICER’S VERSION of the basket hilt was more elaborate as would be expected and the extent of this upgrading was wholly dependent on the financial resources of the individual officer.  British Army officers were expected to purchase both uniform, sword and equipment and at a time when public shows of wealth and status were regarded as normal, their swords were simply an extension of this societal norm. 

The overall style of the officer’s basket hilt did not vary too much from the troopers’ versions, featuring large, multi-bar hilts and long, broadsword blades of backsword type, invariably undecorated (this would appear later in the Century) but it is in the decoration and overall quality of the sword, that we see marked differences.  Hilt bars are frequently chiselled and more complex in their arrangement with sweeping, grooved bars exhibiting scalloped decoration. 

A number of officers’ swords are virtually identical to Highland Scottish basket hilts but can be determined by the slightly thicker hilt bars and less graceful hilt panels that comprise arrowhead, heart-shaped and rounded piercings.  They also have large oval openings that have been suggested were designed to allow the use of reins whilst holding the sword but this theory has been challenged in recent times.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE BRITISH HEAVY CAVALRY TROOPER of the early-mid-18th Century carried a large basket-hilted broadsword that is frequently mistaken for its Highland equivalent.  It is a natural mistake to make but these swords were not meant for the Highlander.  Some are very similar to contemporary Scottish “Jacobite” basket hilts and were obviously an emulation of these practical and robust sword types and were deliberately made in the Scottish manner, but most had a manufacturing origin in the cities of London and Birmingham, rather than Glasgow or Stirling.

British cavalry troopers had been carrying different forms of the basket-hilted sword since the late-16th Century and it can be argued that this sword type was actually more an English invention rather than Scottish.  The decision for British heavy cavalry regiments to carry a basket hilt evolved from pure necessity; that is the need to have a substantial and enclosed hilt that effectively protected the sword hand of English troops whilst on horseback.

In the late-17th and early 18th Centuty, English basket hilts took the form of simple and large, open, multi-bar-hilted swords, constructed from thin bars and with pronounced apple or ovoid-shaped pommels.  As we move into the 18th Century, hilts became more enclosed and quite plain with undecorated panels, of varying size and complexity, with both rounded and flattened hilt bars.  Factors that differentiate between Scottish and English basket hilts include the arrangement and styles of hilt bars, panels, pommels and blade types.  Highland Scottish basket hilts never emulated the plainness of the English broadswords.  Some English basket hilts were also of a distinctive grid pattern, with intersecting bars that created a series of squares.  English basket hilts tended to be of heavy and robust construction and feel much weightier in the hand when compared with Scottish equivalents.  It has been suggested that English hilts were deliberately heavy in order that they could receive rather than parry a strong sword blow. 

Blades were normally sourced from abroad, most notably Germany, where they were regarded as being of more superior quality, a belief that did not always translate into reality when used in combat.  It was at this time that English sword makers began to challenge this foreign trade and blades marked to English sword cutlers become more common.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

BY THE LATE 18TH CENTURY, Highland regiments of the British Army enjoyed a substantial amount of freedom when it came to choosing their own swords.  This laissez-faire attitude continued well into the next century, when individual Scottish regiments created their own unique sword “patterns” including cross-hilted broadswords and specific regimental variations as seen in swords carried by the Royal Scots Fusiliers.

Towards the end of the 18th Century, Scottish Highland infantry officers still carried a traditional form of basket hilt, both as a service and dress sword.  The hilt was manufactured from either gilded copper, steel or iron and in many cases, was matched with a continental broadsword blade, usually German made.  Many were spuriously marked “ANDREA FERARA” (spellings vary).  Some basket hilts were also fortunate survivors from the Jacobite period (when post-Culloden the carrying of swords was prohibited) and had been handed down through military families and clans.

Even Scottish Highland regiments could not avoid the changes brought about by the introduction of official British Army sword patterns in the 1780’s and in 1798, the first regulation pattern Highland officer’s broadsword was introduced.  It was formally announced in a letter from the Adjutant-General of the Army to Lieutenant-Colonel Mclean of the 4th (Breadalbane) Fencibles:

‘…I have the honour to inform you that it is only within the last few days that his Royal Highness, the Commander-in-Chief (at that time, Frederick, Duke of York) has approved a Pattern Sword for the use of the Officers of the Highland Regiments.  The Pattern approved by his Royal Highness was made by Mr Prosser, in Charing Cross, and is lodged in the offices of the Comptrollers of Army Accounts.’

Unfortunately, no specific details of the pattern were made available at the time, but contemporary portraits of serving officers indicate a general consensus in design, albeit with typical regimental variations.  It took the form of a gilded copper or brass basket hilt, with matching scabbard  of black leather, suspended from a traditional shoulder belt.  The hilt had a liner of crimson silk and red tassels fitted below the pommel.  Grips were covered in fishskin and bound with either silver, brass or copper twistwire.  A number of 1798 Pattern basket hilts were also regimentally engraved to the hilt panels, including regimental number, badge or St. Andrew’s Cross.  In the case of grenadier companies, flaming grenade badges were also attached.  Some Highland officers chose to carry a lighter non-basket-hilted sword for dress occasions.  These regimentally marked examples are very similar to the 1786 Pattern Infantry Officer’s Spadroon Sword (the so-called “beaded” or “five-ball” hilt). 

Not all officers in Highland regiments carried the basket hilt and it is noted that flank companies within Highland regiments carried curved sabres in line with regiments in England and examples are noted that display regimental motifs to the hilt and engraving to blades.  These swords were not officially sanctioned but it is known that officers of the 79th (later to become the Cameron Highlanders), 42nd (Black Watch), 71st (later to become the Highland Light Infantry) and 78th regiment (later to become the Seaforth Highlanders) carried such  swords and they are described as having broad, curved blades, knucklebow guards and one or two outer hilt bars.

Blades produced for the 1798 Pattern are commonly encountered with the name “JJ RUNKEL” (spellings vary) engraved within a central single fuller.  John Justus Runkel was a prolific German-born sword importer, living in England during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815).  His company provided thousands of blades and completed swords for the British Army. 

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE 1796 PATTERN was not so much a change of pattern but a change of hilt.  The dimensions and requirements of the blade did not change from the 1786 Pattern but the main difference was the adoption of a double-shell guard.  It is this pattern of sword that is most commonly encountered.  Later examples of the 1786 Pattern already have a rigid double-shell guard that was superceded in 1796 for one that had a folding guard.  This adaptation enabled the officer to avoid fraying his uniform.  A rarer, NCO pattern with fixed guard is also noted and displays a plain brass hilt, blade and scabbard mounts.  Officers’ blades are frequently decorated in blue and gilt, although few have survived in reasonable condition.

Many examples are marked “JJ Runkel” to the blade.  John Justus Runkel had an office in London and was a major importer of German blades (from Solingen) for the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars.  Other makers’ names found on 1796 Pattern blades include Birmingham sword makers, Woolley and Deakin and London makers, Brunn, Prosser and Salter. 

The 1796 Pattern was the mainstay of the British Infantry Officer for over 25 years.  Its obvious defects, including miminal protection for the hand and a rather flimsy blade, led to contempt from some officers as to its fighting capabilities and it was no doubt the cause of many unnecessary deaths amongst British officers. 

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE OFFICIAL REGULATION British infantry officer’s sword of the late-18th Century was the 1786 Pattern Infantry Officer’s Sword.  It was adopted soon after the abolition of the Officer’s and NCO’s Spontoon, or half pike, which had become little more than a symbol of authority in the field of battle, rather than an effective combat weapon.  It was officially withdrawn on the 3rd April 1786 and a new sword pattern was introduced by order of the Adjutant-General:

“His Majesty having been pleas’d to order that the Espontoon shall be laid aside & that, in lieu thereof of the Battalion Officers are, for the future, to make use of Swords, it is His Majesty’s Pleasure, that the Officers of Infantry Corps, shall be provided with a strong, substantial, Uniform-Sword, the Blade of which is to be straight, & made to cut & thrust; – to be one Inch at least broad at the Shoulder, & 32 Inches in Length;- The Hilt, if not of Steel, is to be either Gilt or Silver, according to the Colour of the Buttons on the Uniforms – & the Sword Knot, to be Crimson & Gold in the stripes, as required by the present Regulation (the 1768 Warrant).”

No mention in these orders were made to the actual specifications of the hilt and officers from flank and grenadier companies are not included so could apparently, continue with sword types that they were currently carrying.  The standardisation of the 1786 Pattern was focused mainly on the requirement for a blade of 32 inches (1 inch minimum width at the shoulder) that could cut and thrust effectively.  The specifics of the hilt were not mentioned.  It was therefore decided that regimental Colonels could make the decision as to the style of the hilt but it appears that over time, a common hilt type emerged.  This took the form of a straight knucklebow with fluted or ribbed ivory, horn or ebony grips and cushion, vase or urn-shaped pommels.  Many examples have a central “cigar band” to the grip where an engraved regimental number or owner’s initials could be added.

The pattern also features a loose ring to the top of the knucklebow and pommel where a sword knot could be attached.  An inset diamond-shape or badge to the forward guard is noted on early examples and “beaded” or “five-ball” decoration is also commonly encountered. Hilts are found in a range of materials, including gilt brass, steel and silver.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SCOTTISH FENCIBLE regiments at the end of the 18th Century was a direct response to the perceived threat of invasion posed by the newly invigorated French Republic.  When France declared war on the 1st February 1793,  the British Army was caught seriously off guard by the turn of events.  In the preceding years, there had actually been a considerable reduction in regular army forces following the unsuccessful war with America (1776-1784).  The British Government soon realised that even with a massive enlargement of the regular army (who were usually expected to fight outside the country), there would still be an urgent need for home-based regiments to counter Napoleon’s stated wish to subjugate Great Britain. 

The first ‘Fencible’ (meaning defensible) regiments were raised in 1793, and the first commanding officer was the Duke of Atholl, one of seven eventual Colonels of Fencible Regiments in Scotland.  The clan system was still strong in Scotland and the natural leaders of these regiments were always going to be the clan chiefs.  Consequently, we encounter Fencible regiments with names such as the Duke of Gordon’s Fencibles, Sinclair’s Fencibles and the Sutherland and Campbell’s (Argyll and Breadalbane) Fencibles.  Each regiment was made up of a Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, a Major and five Captains.  In each company there was also a Lieutenant, Ensign, four corporals, two drummers and 71 privates.  Most Fencible regiments were disbanded by the Peace of Amiens in 1802, when the threat of invasion had receded, although a sizeable number of the original recruits eventually joined the regular army.

The weapons issued to troops of Fencible regiments were similar to those carried by the regular army and in many cases, equipment and arms deemed not serviceable for the regulars were invariably given to the Fencibles.  This was not the case for a number of distinctive basket-hilted swords manufactured specifically for members of the Fencibles although initial inspection of these swords highlights their generally inferior quality of manufacture (although some better examples do exist).  The metal of the three-quarter basket is surprisingly thin, comprising two sheets of iron welded togther.  Cut-out thistle decoration to the side panels and an engraved cartouche with a regimental designation is usually found to the front of the basket.

It is likely that these swords were made in Birmingham as the quality of the hilts is similar to those found on earlier basket hilts supplied to Highland regiments in the 1760’s-1780’s made in both London and Birmingham.  The blades of these swords were of single-edged, backsword type and most are thought to have been manufactured by sword makers such as Woolley and Co. (1785-1825).

The Breadalbane Fencibles are also known to have carried these basket hilts and many were engraved with the name of the regiment to the basket.  Their force consisted of two regiments and was raised by the Earl of Breadalbane in the summer of 1793.  The engraving usually takes the form of a large, enveloping thistle placed below a King’s crown, with the regiment’s name, either engraved in full or just represented by its initials.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

AFTER THE DEFEAT AT CULLODEN (1746), the Scottish Highlander was forbidden from carrying any weapons and this resulted in many basket hilts either being destroyed or hidden.  Scotland was now fully secured to the British Crown and resolute attempts were made in the following years to form a permanent and substantial military presence.  In the years 1745-1780, nineteen regular regiments of Highland infantry were established.  They were uniformed and armed in a similar fashion to the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot (Black Watch), who had been formed in 1739. 

By the 1750’s, the British Board of Ordnance was supplying weapons directly to these regiments.  Each man received an all-metal pistol, basket-hilted sword, musket and bayonet, either paid for by the Ordnance or supplied by the regimental Colonel, who was later reimbursed by the Crown.  Swords were purchased by regimental Colonels through a system of “off-reckonings” (deductions made from a soldier’s pay).  The cost for each of these swords was around eight shillings and sixpence.  Private soldiers could also carry their own swords and dirks.  Officers were responsible for their own arms, including sword, pistol and dirk. 

Prior to this period, there was no specific pattern of sword for either soldier or officer but from the 1750’s, Birmingham made swords of a similar hilt style began to appear and were subsequently carried by enlisted soldiers in Highland regiments.  They were a far cry from the finely wrought broadswords carried by their former enemies, the Highlanders, and tended to be of sometimes indifferent quality.  The sword hilt was made from sheet metal and followed a simplified style based on previous incarnations of English and Scottish basket hilts.  The blade was usually English in manufacture rather than the previously favoured, German.  Most examples of this sword are maker stamped on the blade to either Drury & Son of London (Drury were based in London but the swords were likely to have been manufactured in Birmingham) or Ief(f)ris (nee Jeffreys/Jeffries) of London.  Jeffreys was succeeded by Drury in 1780.  Nathaniel Jeffreys is thought to have started his business in 1763, and these British Army basket hilts were probably one of his first commissions. 

The hilt design was rather basic with cut-outs made in the hilt panels to form a pattern of hearts and roundels.  Pommels were distinctly cone-shaped, with grips constructed from wood, wrapped in leather and bound with brass twistwire and Turk’s heads’ ferrules.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE BRITISH INFANTRY OFFICER’S SWORD of the early-mid-18th Century followed a number of defined styles that culminated in the later adoption of a prescribed series of patterns to be carried by a British infantry officer. Before 1786, British infantry officers were required to carry a spontoon (staff weapon) of half-pike form that was quite distinctive and valued more as a badge of rank rather than an effective fighting weapon. Infantry officers were also ordered to carry a sword (Clothing Warrant of 1768) and in 1786, the spontoon was officially withdrawn from service and a regulation sword was introduced.
One of the most common sword types was the short sabre and later, the spadroon. The short sabre normally had a curved blade, single-edged for most of its length and then double-edged near the point. It incorporated a number of hilt styles that included examples with a slotted guard, forward or “loop” guard and pommels of ovoid, rounded and lionshead design. The lionshead hilt with slotted guard was particularly popular with British infantry officers and this pommel type became standard for the next hundred years, both in the Army and Navy.

Sword grips also came in a wide variety of materials including wood with brass or steel twistwire, leather, ebony, bone and ivory. Scabbards were usually made from leather with simple brass or gilt brass mounts. Tooling and decoration to scabbards became more prevalent as the century progressed.
The spadroon sword of the late-18th Century was an attempt to design a simple, straight-bladed, double-edged cut and thrust sword. Pre-regulation examples featured simple crossguards (brass or steel) and grips (usually ebony, ivory or bone). Hilts tended to have a straight knucklebow guard and cushion or urn-shaped pommel. The use of “beaded” or “five-ball” knucklebows was also common and is discussed later when we view the first regulation pattern infantry officer’s sword (1786 Pattern) that superceded these earlier spadroon forms.

The grip design of a spadroon sword allowed the officer to hold the sword securely and facilitate both cutting and thrusting movements. It was popular with officers due to its simple practicality, good balance and elegant appearance and also sat well against a uniform.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE BRITISH INFANTRYMAN’S SWORD of the early-mid-18th Century is an interesting and somewhat neglected area of study as most energy seems to directed at the latter part of the century when standardised sword patterns began to be introduced into the British Army, allowing easier categorisation both in terms of specifications and chronology.  This earlier period is noted for its sheer breadth of styles and is symptomatic of the rather chaotic state of official and unofficial procurement of weapons for individual regiments.  Despite this, there is one main sword type that was common during this period and that was the infantry hanger.  In general terms, it comprised a short sword with a single edge and was made with either a brass or iron hilt.  Its purpose was to give the soldier a close quarter weapon to be used in conjunction with his musket or when the musket was not available.  It had a relatively short period of use as the socket bayonet eventually became the first choice edged sidearm for British infantry.

Hangers from the first quarter of the 18th Century feature brass, clamshell guards and D-Guard knucklebows and polished wood grips.  Blades tend to be single-edged and slightly curved.  Most would probably have been sourced from overseas, mainly Germany.  The half-basket hilt was also popular and carried by grenadier soldiers.  Hangers were sheathed in simple leather and brass-mounted scabbards with a hook to attach a wide leather belt that was strung over the shoulder.

The two or three-bar-hilted brass-mounted hanger is a style that is frequently encountered and recognisable as a type carried by British soldiers from the mid-late-18th Century.  It is defined by its distinctive heart-shaped  counterguard and was a common weapon carried through a number of conflicts, most notably the American Revolutionary War (1776-1783).  British militia regiments were also issued with this hanger and many are engraved with a county designation to the underside of the counterguard.

In 1768, a Royal Warrant decreed that only infantry sergeants, grenadiers, fifers, drummers and Highland soldiers (who were issued with basket-hilts) could carry swords.  This ended the widespread use of the sword by ordinary soldiers in the British Army and from then they had to rely on the cold steel of their bayonets.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE ENGLISH NAVAL SWORD of the 17th Century is not a sword type that is easy to define or categorise.  During this early stage in the history of the Royal Navy, there were very few if any formal sword types carried by naval officers and seaman.  In general, those who served on board an English warship were equipped with the same edged weapons as those who fought on land. It was only towards the end of the century when swords were produced or attributed to a specific naval use.

The short “hanger” was the natural choice of sword for use on an English warship for obvious reasons.  The crowded and cramped confines of a man-o-war called for a practical sword that would not clatter and impede the owner when running up and down ladders, or obstruct a sword thrust or cut whilst engaged in the melee of battle.  A long blade would not be particularly suitable in these circumstances and both officers and men preferred the agility and flexibility provided by a short sword.

By the mid-1600’s, a sword that fulfilled most of these requirements was the shell guard hanger.  This is the archetypal “pirate’s” sword that is seen in contemporary illustrations and later adopted by the Hollywood movie industry.  It took on a number of forms but in its simplest guise, it comprised a large, fluted shell guard (sometimes with a smaller shell to the rear), thumb-ring, short quillon, flattened and rounded pommel and a long knucklebow. It would have been carried by both officers and men, differentiated only by the quality of manufacture and decoration (although most encountered are of plain, workmanlike form).

One of the most common sword types carried by English naval officers of the mid-late-17th Century was a brass or silver-hilted hunting hanger.  There was not a specific naval hanger at that time and decoration emulated standard hunting swords of the period.  Very rarely do you find a hunting sword of this period with naval motifs to either the hilt or blade.  Most contemporary portraits bear this out, showing officers carrying quite ordinary, relatively unornamented examples. 

I have included a number of hunting swords in this chapter that exhibit unusually wide and long, falchion-type blades.  Although I cannot be truly certain that they were used by English seaman or naval officers, the overall proportions of the sword make them more “military” than civilian, and I believe that they would have worked effectively as a naval cutlass.  Blades are slightly curved, with German (Solingen) maker marks, including  king’s heads, stars and crescent moons, cabbalistic numbers, symbols and dates.  At this time, German sword blades were more highly prized than most English made blades and importantly, could be purchased more cheaply.  English sword makers at this time typically imported German blades and then fitted them onto their own hilts.

Although a hanger was the practical choice for fighting on board a warship, naval officers probably retained a dress sword for more formal occasions.  This is likely to have been of smallsword form, particularly towards the end of the century, when the rapier and smallsword underwent a transitional process, creating swords of smaller, more manageable size.

The cutlass is a sword type commonly associated with the Royal Navy and its introduction in the late-17th Century, began a process of evolution in design that finally ended in 1900, with the last official Royal Navy pattern cutlass.  The word cutlass is derived from the latin cultellus, meaning short sword, and came into the English language from around 1580 onwards, when it was described as both a curtleaux or coute-lace.

Its introduction into the Royal Navy is thought to date from around 1677, when the Board of Ordnance decreed that hangers and swords should be issued to seaman at the ratio of one weapon for every five or six men.  It must be assumed that a shorter form of the polearm, pike or axe was utilised by those without swords, combined with anything that could be laid to hand in times of battle.  This low disbursement of fighting swords would increase over time as the importance and effectiveness of the cutlass became apparent. 

As with naval officers, the ubiquitous, cast brass-hilted “hunting” hanger was also carried by the ordinary seaman.  It was similar to the officer’s version, but would have been plainer and of cheaper manufacture, having a D-shaped knucklebow, solid brass grip and small shell guards.

Iron-hilted, shell guard cutlasses, were also used by the Royal Navy during the 17th Century and when compared with the newly introduced cast brass hangers, the inherent strength and lightness of the iron hilt was all too obvious.  The forging and assembly of an iron hilt took considerable sword making skills and resulted in an increase in costs but it could be relied on to provide a longer service life.  The single or double shell guards of these hangers were quite substantial and afforded the seaman a reasonable amount of protection to the hand, including a large thumb-ring.  A wide, curved knucklebow swept up towards the flattened pommel but was not attached.  Grips were made from bone, staghorn and wood.

In the 1690’s, a group of English naval swords appeared that are believed to have been issued specifically for use in the Royal Navy.  Written documentation survives from the Board of  Ordnance describing an order for “brass hilted hangers” for “matrosses”(a contemporary word used to describe sailors).  These hangers are thought to be of the dog-headed type referred to in contemporary literature (“dog headed hangers for matrosses”) and in recent years, similar examples have been found on English shipwrecks dating from 1694 and 1703.  They comprise an ornate, cast brass hilt, with a small, fluted shell guard to the front (some have a smaller guard to the rear) and a bilobate or plain knucklebow, that enters the dog head pommel through the mouth.  Blades are slightly curved, with few markings, although they are sometimes known to display German (Solingen) running wolf marks and fleur-de-lys motifs. 

It has been suggested that the styling of these cutlasses might originally have come out of the Netherlands, as a number of these weapons display a “monster-head” that is similar in style to Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) short swords that were noted in the Dutch East Indies during the 17th Century and perhaps brought back to Europe by Dutch ships.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

THE ENGLISH RAPIER IN THE 17TH CENTURY

As England and Europe entered the 17th Century, the main sword of choice for the civilian gentleman was the rapier.  Originating in the Iberian Peninsula during the mid-16th Century (the term rapier comes from the Spanish espada ropera, which translates to sword of the robes),  it was an attempt by sword makers to provide more protection to the swordsman’s hand and was a direct response to the decline of armour (specifically, the armoured gauntlet) in the face of rapid technological improvements in personal firearms.  The need for a heavy and wide-bladed sword that could penetrate armour had now become less important.  The introduction of the rapier also came at a time when gentlemen began to wear a sword with civilian dress as a statement of fashion and social status but also could draw on the rapier as an effective weapon of defense when required.  Duelling had also become very popular and the rapier, with its long and thrusting blade, was the weapon of choice when matters had come to a settling of accounts between two gentlemen.

ENGLISH RAPIER TYPES

The rapier came in many forms but it is clear that by 1600, most Western European countries had adopted relatively standard rapier types with some regional exceptions.  During the first quarter of the century, hilts became more elaborate and complex, with finely worked chiselling and inlaid silver and gilt decoration.

In England, distinctively “English” rapier hilt types were emerging in tandem with other parts of Europe.  They were based on the swept-hilt; that is a hilt comprising a series of elegant, sweeping hilt bars that curve gracefully from the ricasso to the pommel, but differed in the configuration of hilt bars and the exhibiting of open cup and dish hilts, ranging from the quite plain (when compared with continental examples) to finely wrought hilts, featuring inlaid silver shell guards and pierced cups.  The dish-hilted rapier was also a common English style during the first half of the 17th Century and many of these delicate hilts are attached to extremely long and narrow blades, indicating their primary use as duelling weapons by civilians.

The English “Cavalier” hilt is a sword type closely associated with the reign of King Charles I (1625-1649) and was introduced from around the 1620’s.  It is based on contemporary European dish-hilt rapiers, but with the addition of multiple guards placed above the dish and linked by struts.  These guards then form a knucklebow which sweeps upwards into a ovoid or bulbous pommel, frequently attached by means of a screw.  The quillon finials are usually of coiled design, although they are sometimes found with a straight or twisted, profile.  It has been suggested that the “Cavalier” hilt is not a particularly graceful design and it is certainly true that when compared with swept-hilt rapiers of Italian or German origin, there is a lack of elegance to the “Cavalier” hilt.  This may be attributed to the workmanlike nature of some of the hilts English sword makers produced at that time, although it must be remembered that there are always notable exceptions to this rule. 

Rapier blades for English swords were derived from a number of sources, including those produced in England (in relatively small numbers), with the majority sourced from Italy, Spain or Germany, where the tradition of producing fine rapier blades was firmly established.

The English dish-hilt rapier was a forerunner to the “Cavalier” hilt and designed primarily for use as a duelling weapon.  This is evident when we examine the extreme blade lengths of some examples (up to 60 inches) and also the lightness and flexibility of both hilt and blade.   Hilts  tend to be of simple design, with fluted pommels, a large, pierced dish guard, pas-d’âne and inwardly-curving quillons.  Some quillons are also attached to the underside of the guard.  Because of the relative narrowness of dish-hilt blades, most are unmarked and plain.  Many rapier blades (and particularly those from the first  half of the 17th Century) are completely unmarked, with no maker marks or actual indications of the country of origin.  Where there are armourers’ marks engraved to the blade, they are invariably of an undecipherable nature and cannot be identified.  German sword makers are more helpful and frequently incorporated a running wolf mark to indicate a Solingen/Passau origin.  The word “Solingen” (found with variations in spelling) is also commonly seen on German blades.  Other blade markings include traditional religious symbols such as the cross, crucifix and cabbalistic or mystical number sequences that are often mistaken for actual dates of manufacture (the date “1415” is often engraved to blades).  Spurious maker names such as “ANDREA FERRARA” (a renowned Italian blade maker of the 16th Century), are frequently engraved to German and Italian rapier blades for the sole purpose of adding value and quality to a blade. 

English hilts of the period also include examples similar in design to the mortuary hilt but with smaller and shallower dishes.  They are usually decorated with extensive chiselling and motifs closely associated with the mortuary sword style, including human heads, foliage and martial trophies.

THE ENGLISH SMALLSWORD

The smallsword made an appearance during the late-17th Century and was a consequence of the diminishing importance and requirement for rapiers and long-bladed swords within the civilian environment.  The earlier rapiers, with their massive hilts and extremely long blades, had become a cumbersome nuisance when combined with civilian dress, and so the trend started for smaller hilts and shorter blades.  These “Town” or “Walking” swords were more comfortable to wear and also followed the dictates of contemporary fashions.  When Charles II (1630-1685) returned from exile in Holland and Spain, his entourage brought to the English Court the continental (particularly French) fashion for carrying smaller swords and thus the term “smallsword” was adopted.

The antecedents of the smallsword are found in the first years of the 17th Century, when a form of “light” rapier was designed in France for use in the duel.  It was stripped of extravagant hilt devices such as overlong quillons and multiple rings, and typically comprised a small forward guard, knucklebow and short quillons. 

Occasionally, a small shell guard might project from the base of the hilt.  Blade lengths of these rapiers are pretty much the same as larger rapiers but it is in hilt proportions that they differ from traditional rapiers.  From these “light” rapiers, we progress to the Scarf Sword, a simpler version of the previous rapier, that appeared   from the 1640’s.  The name derives from the shoulder or waist scarf that would have held the sword (they have been erroneously described as “pillow” swords in the past, due to the mistaken belief that they were hidden under pillows in case of attack or burglary).  There are no discernible hilt guards and most have simple, bulbous or stubby, short quillons.  Decoration is minimal, with plain, polished steel hilts predominating, although some rarer pieces have attractive inlaid silver or cut steel decoration.

A similar hilt form to the Scarf Sword is the Loop Hilt, an early smallsword type developed in Germany and the Netherlands during the 1640’s.  The hilt guard comprised a single, distinctive loop or arm that swept from the base and joined the knucklebow.

From the 1660’s and through to the end of the century, the true smallsword began to emerge and with this came a number of changes in hilt design that eventually merged into the and an increase in the length of quillons.  Decorative quillon finials, frequently in the shape of animal or mythical beast heads, became common and small shell guards (with thick rims) appeared to the front and rear of hilts.  Pommels on early English smallswords were of traditional, ovoid shape, similar to those found on rapiers, but they subsequently developed a more spherical or bulbous profile. 

By the 1690’s, knucklebows, hilt branches and quillons reduced again in size.  Blades also changed and moved from conventional, double-edged, flat-sided and narrow, rapier types, to triangular or “colichemarde” blades.  These hollow-ground blades were very broad at the forte and then quickly tapered to a fine point.  The Shotley Bridge sword factory in County Durham, was a noted maker of these “colichemarde” blades and the skills and technology to produce this radical new blade type was brought over by immigrant German sword makers.  Non-English smallswords were also carried by English gentlemen and they are naturally featured in this work as it is certain that non-English swords would have been purchased and worn, due mainly to the fact that the home-based sword making industry was simply unable to meet the domestic demand for smallswords.

Hilt design of smallswords also changed gradually towards the end of the 17th Century and we see the narrowing and lengthening of grips, widening of knucklebows into more rectangular shapes and the introduction of double-shell guards and the distinctive pas-d’âne.  Pommels moved away from the typical fluted, ovoid profile of the earlier rapier, to more spherical shapes.traditional smallsword style.  These included the gradual elongation of grips into a more rectangular shap and an increase in the length of quillons.  Decorative quillon finials, frequently in the shape of animal or mythical beast heads, became common and small shell guards (with thick rims) appeared to the front and rear of hilts.  Pommels on early English smallswords were of traditional, ovoid shape, similar to those found on rapiers, but they subsequently developed a more spherical or bulbous profile. 

By the 1690’s, knucklebows, hilt branches and quillons reduced again in size.  Blades also changed and moved from conventional, double-edged, flat-sided and narrow, rapier types, to triangular or “colichemarde” blades.  These hollow-ground blades were very broad at the forte and then quickly tapered to a fine point.  The Shotley Bridge sword factory in County Durham, was a noted maker of these “colichemarde” blades and the skills and technology to produce this radical new blade type was brought over by immigrant German sword makers.  Non-English smallswords were also carried by English gentlemen and they are naturally featured in this work as it is certain that non-English swords would have been purchased and worn, due mainly to the fact that the home-based sword making industry was simply unable to meet the domestic demand for smallswords.

Hilt design of smallswords also changed gradually towards the end of the 17th Century and we see the narrowing and lengthening of grips, widening of knucklebows into more rectangular shapes and the introduction of double-shell guards and the distinctive pas-d’âne.  Pommels moved away from the typical fluted, ovoid profile of the earlier rapier, to more spherical shapes.

THE ENGLISH HUNTING SWORD of the 17th Century is a good example of how a sword type designed primarily for one function i.e. the despatching and butchering of an animal, was subsequently adopted for use in a range of non-hunting areas, becoming a popular choice of sword for the hunter, civilian, infantry soldier and naval officer. The English huntsman carried a short sword or hanger as his primary hunting weapon well into the 17th Century, in contrast to his continental neighbours, who quickly discarded the sword in favour of the firearm. This may have been due partly to the nature of the animals pursued. In England, the deer and hare (and occasionally, the boar) were the main quarry but on the continent, the huntsman had to face wolves, bears and boars. It is no wonder that they chose to wait in hides and take potshots from a relatively safe distance. In these countries, the hunting sword developed into an elaborate and fashionable accoutrement to their dress, rather than a practical hunting tool. The hunting sword of this period is also commonly described as a hirschfänger, or couteaux-de-chasse (anglicised into “cuttoes”). In England, the hunting hanger was used as it was originally intended and the following contemporary description is typical of the gruesome rituals involved after a deer had been caught.
“…the Huntsman presents the Person that took the Essay with a drawn Hanger, to have a Chop at his Head, and after him, every one hath a Chop if it is not cut off; and generally the Huntsman, or Keeper is provided with such a Hanger, that is not over Sharp, that there may be the more Chops for the gaining more Fees, every one giving him a Shilling at least.”

English infantry hangers have been discussed in a previous chapter and it is apparent upon even scant observation, that a number of infantry sword styles are simply hunting swords adopted for use by the infantry. The same applies to naval officer’s hangers of this period. It can therefore become quite difficult to say without hesitation that a hanger was definitely used in the field of hunting or on the field of battle. The hanger was very much a multi-purpose, edged weapon of the period. What we can say with confidence is that a distinctive “hunting” hanger style was developed in England during the 17th Century and an important location for manufacture of these hangers was the Hounslow sword manufactory, near London. Mention has already been made of the history of this business venture so we will concentrate on describing the hunting sword styles produced at Hounslow.

Hounslow hangers ranged in style from very plain, iron hilts with minimal, chiselled decoration, to silver encrusted pieces of excellent workmanship. Most exhibit flattened pommels and scrolled peaks that receive the knucklebow. Shell guards are normally of trefoil shape and frequently pierced, with quillons of downward, drooping form and globular finials. Grips are almost always made from staghorn, although more expensive materials such as ivory are encountered. Blades tend to be slightly curved and double-edged, with some having a sawback edge. A number are engraved with Hounslow maker marks and occasionally dated.
As the century progressed, English hunting hangers became more uniform in style and the materials used in the manufacture of hilts changed from iron to brass and silver. This was due primarily to the cheapness and easier workability of brass and silver but the transition was not without its problems. The main opposition to using these materials came from the London Cutlers Company who had traditionally worked with iron. They quickly realised that foreign and English-made cast brass hilts could be produced in greater quantities and much more cheaply than their harder to work, iron-hilted swords, and saw an immediate threat to their livelihoods. These Guilds worked within the confines of the city and deliberately misinterpreted a Royal Proclamation of the 1630’s, prohibiting the manufacture of brass goods, saying that:“Buckles which are cast in Brasse, are brittle, and not so serviceable as those made of Iron”. The Company decided that they would also apply this ban to sword hilts and any associated parts. In 1650, they declared that “…all hilts pomells and handles cast in brasse or anything else belongeing to a sword, rapier, dagger, hanger and skeyne are unserviceable, deceiptful and unlawful wares”. Interestingly, the writ of this guild only applied within the city of London and the Hounslow sword manufactory (being located outside London) was not affected by the Guild. This must have been extremely frustrating for the Guild as it was manufacturers like Hounslow that they wished to target and felt most threatened by.
Ultimately, it was not private manufacturers that the Cutlers Company had to fear, but the Government, in the form of the Board of Ordnance, who had quickly realised that brass-hilted weapons were considerably cheaper and quicker to produce than their iron counterparts. With the need to equip a growing standing army as cheaply as possible, brass was always going to win through over iron.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

Taken from The British Sword – From 1600 to the Present Day – An Illustrated History by Harvey J S Withers – 12,000 full colour photographs – 884 pages

For more details please click on the images.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

There is no doubt that the sword was an important military and cultural icon in the lives of the first Scottish Highlanders.  Carved representations of Scottish swords have been found in many parts of the Highlands, including on early Medieval tombstones and effigies from the islands of Oronsay, Islay and at Kinkell Kirkyard, on the mainland.  The influence of the Viking sword is also clearly evident as many of these Medieval stones depict hilts with a lobated (rounded or grooved) pommel and slightly inward curving quillons.  Occasionally, they also show spatulate or flattened hilt finials.  Blades are wide, double-edged and with single-handed grips. 

It is not unreasonable to conclude that following continuous Scandinavian invasions and the later settling and assimiliation of these Nordic peoples in Scotland (particularly its outlying islands), the swords carried by Scottish Highlanders from the turn of the first millenium (1000), would be strongly influenced by Viking sword design and manufacture.

At this early stage, a uniquely Scottish style cannot be fully discerned, as many hilt variations are known to have been carried throughout Europe during the following centuries.  It is only as we move beyond the Medieval period that more defined and peculiarly Scottish hilt forms emerged, becoming more familiar to the modern eye. 

Despite the common representation of the sword within Gaelic culture, the Medieval Highland warrior was not primarily a swordsman.  Indeed, during the numerous conflicts with England and regular inter-clan disputes of the Medieval era, the Caledoni or Scotti were predominantly spear or pikemen and fought in large groups or schiltrons.  Bitter conflict with the English Crown and the gradual subjugation of the Scottish Lowlands, meant that the Highlanders literally retreated to their northern ancestral areas and concentrated on establishing and defending their own lands from rival clans.  This resulted in a more “personal” and small scale type of warfare where the clan chief was expected to lead his men into battle and be the first to expose himself to the enemy. 

Occasionally, he would also have to prove his social status and heroism by engaging in duels between other chieftains.  The use of long pikes or spears in a duel was deemed impractical and eventually the broadsword and small shield (targe) became the favoured combination used by the Highlander.  It was to remain so for many generations.

THE TWO-HANDED BROADSWORD

Scottish broadswords of hand-and-a-half or two-handed form began to appear in the 15th Century and until recently, were routinely described by the term claymore or claidheamh mòr (“the great sword”).  This has now been disputed by several respected authors, including Claude Blair and David Caldwell.  The correct Gaelic pronunciation is now thought to be claidheamh dà­ làimh (“sword of two hands”).  The term claymore (claidheamh mòr) should therefore be used only to describe the later basket-hilted sword.

Irish mercenaries in the pay of Elizabeth I (1533-1603) are known to have carried these ‘great’ swords whilst campaigning in Ulster (1594-1603).  Contemporary accounts also describe how they were slung on the back and sheathed.  Continental mercenaries such as the Landsknechte also carried a larger, two-handed sword, preferring no scabbard.  They also held the sword more comfortably at the slope.

The two-handed sword (or “twahandit” in Lowland Scotland) was carried from the beginning of the 16th and well into the 17th Century, only being superceded towards the end of the century, by the Highland basket hilt.  Due to their huge size, these swords would have taken great strength and skill to wield effectively in a melee.  The demoralising effect on any enemy when confronted with a group of screaming Highlanders brandishing these huge weapons would have been obvious and devastating.  There are several types of this sword.

The Two-Handed Sword – type 1 (claidheamh dà­ làimh)

The Highland two-handed sword (claidheamh dà­ làimh) or ‘twahandit swordis’ emerged at the beginning of the 16th Century and differed from continental two-handed swords of the period in a number of distinct ways.  This included a slightly shorter blade and the absence of parrying lugs normally found on contemporary ‘Landsnecht’(mercenary) two-handed swords.  In many examples, the hilt has a pair of long quillons that incline towards the blade and terminate with quatrefoils.  This quillon style is similar to earlier Scottish Medieval longswords represented on tombstones and reliefs found in Highland Scotland and clearly influenced by both the Gaelic and Viking artistic tradition. Pommels tend to be of simple wheel form and imitate the pommels of earlier Medieval Knightly swords.  Another feature peculiar to this type of sword is the long langet that runs from the centre of the crossguard.  It is sometimes either rounded or blunted at its point.

The Two-Handed Sword – type 2 (claidheamh dà­ làimh)

This distinctive and rarely encountered sword is occasionally described as being of ‘Lowland’ style in reference works, but there is no reason to assume that its use was restricted to any specific geographical area of Scotland.  In reality it is likely to have been carried by both Highland and Lowland troops during the late-16th and early 17th Century.

The grip and pommel are very similar to the traditional claidheamh dà­ làimh or two-handed sword, although the pommel adopts a more European form and is slightly conical-shaped.  Hand-and-a-half versions are also known of this sword.  What makes this two-hander different to other ‘great’ swords of the period is the large, up-turned shell-guard and pronounced down-turned quillons.  Blades are invariably of German origin and frequently stamped with the running wolf mark of Passau or Solingen.  This sword type does not have the fluid beauty of the claidheamh dà­ làimh and very few examples have survived.

 The Lowland or ‘Landsknecht’ Sword

This style of sword is clearly of North European and not Scottish lineage.  It is of a type that has its origins in the north of the continent, particularly Switzerland or Germany, and is more commonly known as the weapon of choice for the ‘Landsknechte’ (or mercenaries), who offered their military services throughout Europe during the 16th and early 17th Centuries.  The Scottish Highlander willingly adopted these two-handed battle swords and they would have been carried alongside the more traditional Scottish claidheamh dà­ làimh. 

The general hilt and blade characteristics include quillons of flat, ribbon-like section and distinctive fleur-de-lys terminals.  Parrying hooks are also present on straight, double-edged blades.  Grips tend to be long, occasionally waisted and covered in leather, with a wooden core.

THE BASKET-HILTED BROADSWORD

Although it is widely assumed that the basket-hilted broadsword is a purely Scottish invention, contemporary evidence and surviving examples contradict this common assumption.  Basket-hilted swords were already widespread in Northern Europe (particularly Germany, Switzerland and Scandinavia) from the early 1500’s, and their introduction coincided with the growing obsolescence of full armour (including armoured gauntlets) and the practical need to arm oneself with a sword that had an enclosed hilt affording robust protection to the exposed hand.  They were a simple adaptation of the earlier Medieval cross-hilted broadsword, with the addition of extra bars and simple plates.  As the 16th Century progressed, the hilt profile became more complex and elaborate combinations of bars and plates were added.  The use of a series of flat or slightly rounded, intersecting bars, strengthened with small hilt plates became commonplace.  Blades were normally double-edged and meant for cutting (in contrast to the contemporary fashion for thrusting, rapier blades), and it is thought that these practical swords would have been employed in battle where their robustness was relied upon.

Detailed historical evidence as to why the basket hilt became so closely associated with the Scottish Highlander is not conclusive but what is known is that numbers of Scottish mercenaries who fought for the English during the late-16th Century, brought back to Scotland quantities of English-made basket-hilted swords and they soon became popular in the Highlands.  English writers of the time referred to this type of hilt as being of “Irish” style.  Scottish writers also began to describe them as “Highland hilts” or “Highland Guards”.

As the 17th Century progressed and the basket hilt evolved, the specific arrangement of the hilt bars and appearance of wider hilt plates (with guards in the style of St Andrew’s crosses or saltires) point towards an emerging “Scottish” style of basket hilt. 

There are a number of other key design features that differentiate early English and Scottish basket hilts.   One of the most notable is the development of distinct pommel shapes.  English basket hilts of the early 17th Century adopted large, apple-shaped or rounded pommels that eventually developed into more ovoidal or bun-shaped forms by the end of the century.  The pommels on Scottish basket hilts were invariably of conical or ‘plumet’ shape, sometimes with deep grooving and prominent tang buttons.

Hilt styles were also changing.  English swords displayed a more open basket, with fewer and thinner hilt bars than their Scottish counterparts.  Scottish basket hilts incorporated more hilt bars and plates and from the early 1600’s, developed a distinctive “enclosed” form, with flattened bars and pierced hilt plates.  The Scottish basket hilt was also of a generally higher standard of manufacture.

When Scottish Highland sword types were gradually replaced by the basket hilt in the 17th Century, many earlier two-handed sword blades were simply removed from their original hilts and attached to new basket hilts.  This explains why much older blades are sometimes found in later basket hilts.

The sourcing of robust sword blades was crucial to the success of the Scottish basket hilt and Scottish hilt makers had known for many years that the best blades were manufactured on the continent, particularly Germany, Spain and Italy. 

Most Scottish hilts dating from the mid to late-17th Century are matched with German blades, many bearing the spurious name ANDRIA(or ANDREA) FERARA (FERRARA).  This Italian sword maker was renowned for the quality of his sword blades and his name was used by other, non-Italian sword blade makers to endow an aura of high quality. These wide, flexible, multi-fullered and double-edged fighting blades were devastating close combat weapons on the battlefields of Scotland and England.

BASKET HILT TYPES

THE WHEEL POMMEL HILT

These distinctive basket hilts were popular for a relatively short period of time (c.1600-1650) and although they are normally viewed as being uniquely Scottish, it is likely that they were carried by both Scottish and English troops.  The design feature most associated with this sword type is a flat “wheel” pommel, large tang nut and small hilt panels attached to vertical bars.

THE RIBBON HILT

The Scottish ‘ribbon-hilted’ or ‘beak nose’ basket hilt is one of the earliest “Scottish” sword types and was unique both in terms of design and method of construction.  The historical origins of this sword are not clear but similar enclosed hilts formed from flattened hilt bars are noted on both English and German broadswords of the late-16th and early 17th Century.  These swords normally exhibit long, counter-curved quillons that are absent in Scottish ribbon hilts.  It appears likely that Scottish sword makers simply took this form of hilt (probably brought to Scotland by Scottish mercenaries fighting in both mainland Europe and Ireland) and made it their own, with a number of distinctive refinements.

The first ribbon hilts comprised hilt bars of flattened steel strips that were deliberately ‘pointed’ at the end in order that they could be inserted into deep holes cut into the large pommel.  This added greater strength and stability to the basket and differed from many contemporary English basket hilts, where some of the hilt bars are left short of the pommel and not inserted, thereby reducing its inherent rigidity.  Later ribbon hilts (post-1650) differ by having the upper end of the guard joined to a flat semi-circular slot deeply cut into the middle of the pommel.

In design terms, the ribbon hilt has a number of characteristics not found on other Scottish basket hilts.  This includes the absence of forward-guards and the addition of of a triangular guard that links two saltire-bars towards the pommel and is present near the blade.  The early hilts also exhibit a pair of recurved quillons to either side of the hilt that appear to be a throwback to the late-16th Century. 

Later hilts removed these quillons, replacing them with the familiar ‘beak nose’ projection.  Additional rear-guards are consistent with later models and appear to be a deliberate incorporation of the attributes of the more standard Scottish basket hilt.  Very occasionally, a ribbon hilt is found with its original black japanning (varnish), a method of protecting the hilt from the harshness of the Scottish climate.  Unfortunately, most have lost this finish due to the vagaries of rust and overzealous cleaning by subsequent generations.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

Taken from The British Sword – From 1600 to the Present Day – An Illustrated History by Harvey J S Withers – 12,000 full colour photographs – 884 pages

For more details please click on the images.

THE ENGLISH MILITARY BROADSWORD of the 17th Century encompasses a wide range of styles and influences, both indigenous and foreign.  During this century, we see the introduction of enclosed hilt designs that lay a stronger emphasis on the protection of the swordsman’s hand.  The cross-hilted, “knightly” broadsword of the previous centuries that had been utilised by both the infantry and cavalry, had all but disappeared on the battlefield and was now only revived for ceremonial purposes, such as the carrying of bearing or executioner’s swords (although England tended to choose the axe as its preferred weapon of despatch for condemned prisoners).

A number of broadsword types carried by English infantry soldiers were also adopted by the cavalry, so we should be careful when assigning a definitive and sole attribution of a sword to one branch of the army or other.  The so-called “mortuary sword” is a case in point as many infantry and cavalry officers chose to carry this distinctly English sword style. 

The term “mortuary sword” is a modern (albeit Victorian) term that was applied to the sword by antiquarians and collectors from the 19th Century.  This is a peculiarly English hilt type that had no similar counterparts in Europe at that time and were typically constructed of iron (although they are known to have been manufactured in brass) and comprised a cup or dish-shaped hilt with a sweeping central knucklebow that was attached to the pommel by means of a large screw.  From this knucklebow, a series of smaller recurved or scrolled side bars were normally present.  Pommels are globular, with pronounced tang buttons.

A most interesting feature of the typical English mortuary sword concerns the hilt decoration.  This can vary widely in terms of quality but there are some consistent themes, including numerous and repeated stylised representations of the human head engraved to the hilt bowl.  This is where the term “mortuary” has its origins and is a consequence of  Victorian antiquarians deciding to make a somewhat audacious (and ultimately, ficticious) connection between these chiselled human heads and the royal head of King Charles I (1600-1649) and his wife, Queen Henrietta (1609-1669).  The contemporary evidence for this association does not appear to be very strong and suggests a certain naive romanticism.

In Schools and Masters of Fence by Egerton Castle (published in 1885), the author writes:

“Swords of this type are often called “mortuary” as  a number of them were made in memory of Charles I and bear his likeness upon the hilt”.

If we analyse the logic of this statement it becomes clear that there is no sense in this theory for a number of important historical reasons.  Firstly, the representation of King Charles (and occasionally, Queen Henrietta) on the sword hilt after the King’s death, would have been seen as a traitorous act by the newly installed Parliamentary government and so we can assume that the sword would only have been carried by Royalist officers in exile. If that was the case, then how is it explained that large numbers of these swords were carried before the monarch’s execution and by both Royalist and Parliamentary officers? 

What is proven beyond doubt is that the mortuary sword was carried in England from around the 1630’s and throughout the English Civil War (1642-49).  The use of human heads as a stylistic form probably had little to do with English monarchs and was just one of a number of contemporary decorative devices applied to these swords. They also included foliage, family coats of arms, mounted soldiers, geometric patterns, martial trophies, feathers and even dolphins.  Some designs are quite difficult to make out as the quality and passage of time inhibits positive identification.  Many were crudely manufactured by local blacksmiths (particularly in times of war or emergency) with little discernible decoration or quality, whilst conversely, a minority are of a superb standard and feature crisp, detailed  chiselling and lavish gilding of silver or gold to the hilt. 

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

Taken from The British Sword – From 1600 to the Present Day – An Illustrated History by Harvey J S Withers

For more details please click on the images.

THE ENGLISH INFANTRY HANGER was a popular form of short sword in mid-17th Century England and carried by both civilian and soldier alike.  They are also commonly described as hunting swords and served many functions, being utilised as a handy sword of defence for the civilian about town and a good, close combat sword in the field of battle.  Although the short infantry or hunting hanger, was a common sword type throughout Europe, a distinctively English version began to emerge in the mid-17th Century. 

It is noted for its relative consistency in design and styling.  The English hanger typically consists of two shell guards, with a larger, scallop-shaped guard to the front and a smaller, upturned version to the rear.  Better quality examples are frequently decorated with inlaid silver, dot and trellis patterns to the shell guard, hilt bars and knucklebows.  Many have chiselled iron hilts, sometimes pierced and decorated in the manner of mortuary or Cavalier hilts.  The decoration is frequently continued to the knucklebow, which is then attached to a scrolled pommel by means of a large and prominent iron screw.  Grips were made from a variety of materials including staghorn, bone and occasionally, ivory.  Blades are short and wide, straight or slightly curved and single or double-edged (most being double-edged towards the point).  Sawback blades are known and probably indicate a hunting rather than infantry or civilian role although it could be utilised as a military weapon if required.  This was the time when armies could be of a makeshift nature and a wide and sometimes eclectic assortment of edged weaponry taken into the field of battle, some little more than agricultural implements.  English made hangers from the first quarter of the 17th Century were also produced with brass bird or animal-head pommels and simple, fluted shell guards and iron grips.  The large, coiled hilt quillons are very similar to those found on English duelling rapiers of the period.

Many hanger blades were imported from the continent, particularly Germany, but a considerable number were also manufactured in England.  A famous example of an indigenous maker of this sword type was the Hounslow sword manufactory, an ill-fated and short-lived sword making venture located just outside London at Hounslow Heath.  Employing both English and foreign (mainly German immigrant) sword makers, it was known particularly for the production of iron and brass-hilted hangers and broadswords.

The founder of the factory was Benjamin Stone and under his auspices, large quantities of swords were produced for King Charles I during the 1630’s.  The factory was subsequently closed by the Parliamentarians during the early years of the English Civil War as they distrusted Stone’s Royalist sympathies.  Other Hounslow sword makers (and names frequently noted on English sword blades of the time) include Joannes Kindt, Johannes Hopp(i)e and Joseph Jenckes. The name Hounslow is also engraved directly onto blades and there are a number of spelling variations, including “Hunslow”, “Hounslo” and “Hounsloe”.  They also engraved a “running wolf” mark to their blades in imitation of contemporary German (Solingen) sword makers.

A number of high quality Hounslow hangers dating from the time of the English Civil War were thought to have been specially manufactured for officers of the Trained Bands of London, a militia regiment formed on a county basis and staffed by freeholders, householders and merchants.  Militia officers are likely to have purchased their own hangers and from the superior quality of some surviving examples, the cost would have been quite considerable. 

At the end of the 17th Century, immigrant German sword makers also established an extensive sword making community in Shotley Bridge, County Durham, in the north of the country.  The abundance of iron ore deposits and the fast flowing River Derwent created the ideal conditions for sword production.  A number of infantry hangers are known to carry the name of “SHOTLEY BRIDG” on their blades. 

One of the former members of the Hounslow sword making enterprise, Hermann Mohll, later came back to England from Germany after the failure of the Hounslow factory in 1658, and began working at Shotley Bridge, which in 1691, changed its name to the Hollow Sword Blade Co. and began importing and manufacturing ‘hollow blade rapiers’, a forerunner of the 18th Century smallsword.

It was here that we later see the development of a hollow-ground or triangular-shaped blade that greatly enhanced the strength and durability of the burgeoning smallsword type in the late-17th and early 18th Century.  Unfortunately, in 1702, Mr Mohll was arrested for illegally smuggling 100 hollow-ground sword blades from Germany and the Shotley Bridge sword mills were abruptly closed. 

Hermann Mohll  must have extricated himself from this local difficultly as he subsequently anglicised his name to Mole and the business reopened in 1716, eventually being sold to another noted sword maker, William Oley, in 1724, when his son, William, finally moved the sword business to Birmingham where it became a famous and prodigious sword supplier to the British Army during the 19th Century.

© Harvey Withers Military Publishing, 2024

Taken from The British Sword – From 1600 to the Present Day – An Illustrated History by Harvey J S Withers – 12,000 full colour photographs – 884 pages

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IF YOU COLLECT BRITISH SWORDS THEN THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU

With over 12,000 full colour images of British swords and comprising 884 pages, this definitive work features infantry swords, cavalry swords, naval swords, smallswords, rapiers, broadswords, hangers, hunting swords, police and prison swords, Scottish basket hilts, naval cutlasses, Napoleonic swords, English Civil War swords, Masonic swords, Gymnasia training swords, experimental swords, civilian and Air Force swords.  Each page displays examples of British swords from the last four centuries and includes close-up detail and descriptions. 

There are also sections on the history of British sword manufacture, the history of the Wilkinson Sword Company (including the Wilkinson Sword blade serial numbers dating list from 1854), British sword makers and retailers, blade markings and proof marks and a full bibliography.

The book is hard back with hand sewn, satin finish pages.

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884 pages – 12,000 full colour images of British swords – hardback – hand sewn pages

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INCLUDES:

CAVALRY SWORDS, INFANTRY SWORDS, NAVAL SWORDS, SMALLSWORDS, RAPIERS, HUNTING SWORDS, POLICE/PRISON/DEPARTMENTAL SWORDS, SCOTTISH BASKET HILTS, NAVAL CUTLASSES, ENGLISH CIVIL WAR SWORDS, NAPOLEONIC SWORDS, VICTORIAN SWORDS, MASONIC SWORDS, COURTSWORDS, GYMNASIA/TRAINING SWORDS, ROYAL AIRFORCE SWORDS, EXPERIMENTAL SWORDS, SWORD MARKINGS, RETAILERS’ MARKINGS, BRITISH SWORD MAKERS AND RETAILERS LIST, MAKERS, RETAILERS’ BLADE MARKS AND TANG BUTTONS, HISTORY OF BRITISH SWORD MANUFACTURE, HISTORY OF THE WILKINSON SWORD COMPANY, WILKINSON SWORD BLADE SERIAL NUMBERS DATING LIST, INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUAL SWORD PATTERNS, FULL BIBLIOGRAPHY

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