Welcome to The 1595. Club.

The 1595 Club is a martial arts school dedicated to the practice and study of swordplay and the martial art of fencing. Our primary source of inspiration is the work of the sixteenth century soldier, philosopher and master of fence, Vincentio Saviolo, and it is from the year of publication of “His Practise” that the club takes its name.

The Club was founded in Brighton, England in 2002 with the initial intention of interpreting, deciphering and exploring the work of Saviolo, as set down in his fencing treatise, and to explore his claim that “… this science –” (the use of the sword-&-dagger) “– to be the ground and foundation of the Arte Militarie”. 

However, as The Club has grown and developed the approach has broadened – to the point where it would be a fair assessment to say that The 1595. Club is a place of study for, and a celebration of, the art of fencing, using military-style cut-&-thrust swords as its primary weapon of interest.

Over the years this study has not solely focused on the use of the sword but incorporated the study of combination forms (sword-&-dagger, sword-&-shield), staff weapons (spear, partizan, quarterstaff), cane, and an unarmed form of combat (taking inspiration from contemporary sports boxing, bare-knuckle pugilism of the 18th and 19th centuries, defence dans la rue, and applying to this study certain tactics, principles and techniques inspired by the practice of fencing).

Moreover, alongside the study of the practical skills of the art of arms, it is essential that any martial art is about more than just learning how to hit one another. One of the most appealing attributes of Saviolo’s treatise is the philosophy to be found within its pages. A philosophy best defined by the sentiment -

"the more skill a man hath of his weapon

the more gentle and curteous should he shewe himselfe”