George Brendon
2026 | 160pp pb | ISBN: 9781914002717
In 1826, over 10,000 spectators gathered on the banks of the River Tamar for a contest like no other. At stake were regional pride, heavy wagers and bragging rights between Devon and Cornwall.
In one corner stood Abraham Cann, the hard-kicking 'Devon Hercules'. In the other stood James Polkinghorne, master of the Cornish 'crushing hug'.
West Country Wrestling tells the story of these two legendary figures, and other wrestlers of note, and the raw, atmospheric world of 19th-century sport - a time of crowded taverns, smugglers, shipwrecks and fierce county pride.
George Brendon
2026 | 160pp pb | ISBN: 9781914002717
In 1826, over 10,000 spectators gathered on the banks of the River Tamar for a contest like no other. At stake were regional pride, heavy wagers and bragging rights between Devon and Cornwall.
In one corner stood Abraham Cann, the hard-kicking 'Devon Hercules'. In the other stood James Polkinghorne, master of the Cornish 'crushing hug'.
West Country Wrestling tells the story of these two legendary figures, and other wrestlers of note, and the raw, atmospheric world of 19th-century sport - a time of crowded taverns, smugglers, shipwrecks and fierce county pride.
