The Original Smallsword Symposium is back!

7th & 8th October 2023

The Smallsword Symposium is an event dedicated the art of Smallsword.

Every year we welcome guests from across the world to Edinburgh to study, teach, learn, fence and do all things smallsword. This means we get to meet new people and promote the take-up of this splendid historical fencing art, which is two of our favourite things.

Back when nobody was on Facebook Phil Crawley had an idea in a pub.

“Why not invite the only other guys in Britain who are interested in Smallsword up to Edinburgh for a couple of days? We can get Milo to do a workshop and maybe a couple of other folk.”

A smallsword pride event, if you will, was born. 17 people turned up. This was considered a lot and made it possibly the largest collection of smallsworders collected in Scotland since the 18^th Century (small beginnings). Everybody agreed do to the same next year. And the one after that.

Something odd started happening. At some point people began to travel from places as far away as Canada, Germany, Poland and Fife. Complete strangers turned up and came back the next year as mates. People kept coming back and bringing friends.

In its own way the Symposium became a lightning rod for the new interest in the study of Smallsword, always the peculiar cousin to the wider Historical Fencing scene. People who had never shown an interest in smallsword came along and then bought a sword and took it back to their groups.

Well its more than a decade on and the Symposium looks like being bigger than ever. More classes and workshops, more students and more teacakes. But committed to the same principal. Smallsword is a great art to study and two days dedicated to this is always a worthwhile endeavour.

Please join us,  it will be fun!

Use the ‘Book Now’ link to purchase your Symposium ticket. Payments are processed via PayPal, and tickets cost £100 until July when they rise to £120. Some spaces may be available at the door as well as a one-day ticket, please contact us to ask.

If you pay using a credit/debit card rather than a Paypal account please include an email address in the message section so we can keep in contact with you.

Minimum age for attendees is 18 for insurance and other administrative reasons.

Note: Refunds will be considered on an individual basis. No refunds available from 14 days before the event date.