By Emma Logeson
Did you know that you could learn medieval sword fighting techniques right here in Holly Springs? On weekends at the W.E. Hunt Recreation Center, members of The Sword Conservatory practice a variety of old and new sword fighting techniques. Ranging from Medieval through 19th-century styles to modern sport fencing, the nonprofit Conservatory hosts a number of lessons aimed to be as historically accurate and accessible as possible.
The president of The Sword Conservatory, Craig Freudenrich, started sword fighting in 2000. He began fencing in college and started medieval training in 2005 with another program. Within that program, Craig taught fencing and historic fencing lessons in 2010, and has since been coaching fencing lessons at a local high school. After a previous guild disbanded, Craig and other members wanted to find a way to continue doing what they loved; thus, The Sword Conservatory was founded in 2016.
Since then, the Conservatory has specialized in teaching many historic and some modern styles of sword fighting. Lessons are taught on medieval sword fighting, historic fencing, recreational sport fencing, stage combat, and advanced medieval sword fighting. Within these categories, students are taught European, Roman, Greek, and Viking fighting styles. Students at the Conservatory can learn how to use a wide range of medieval weaponry, from a dagger or an axe to sword and shield; the options are far from limited. Many of these classes place heavy emphasis on historical accuracy, using accurately weighted weapons and sometimes even armor for students to fully appreciate the historical rigor of the sport.
The medieval sword fighting competition class is one in which full body armor is required. This class aims to teach the various rules of the sport along with increasing endurance, muscle memory, strength, and speed, to hone students’ skills in combat. This class allows students to enter European martial arts tournaments to increase their performance in a competitive setting.
In the “Fencing Through the Ages” class, students begin learning modern fencing techniques to form a foundation for the historical styles. After building a sturdy base of skills, students can expect to start learning styles such as Scottish broadsword, naval, infantry, saber, and more.
Sparring is an important part of many classes, and for lots of students, it’s often the most fun part. Students are encouraged to spar with each other to practice the skills they’ve been learning and put the tactics to the test. Some family classes even allow kids to spar with their parents! Of course, besides fun, safety is the first priority. In every sparring match, there’s a designated marshal there to oversee the safety and judge the winner of the fight.
I got to speak with Eric Lindbeck, the secretary of The Sword Conservatory, who told me a bit about how the lessons are curated. “Historical fact is the basis of everything we do in terms of historical forms.” Eric explained that the instructors use historic texts to get the most accurate picture of what sword fighting might have looked like back in Medieval times. “A lot of people don’t realize it, but there’s actually a lot that was written down and has survived on how to do sword fighting.” Instructors at the Conservatory use five to six or more historic texts for a given class, cross-referencing texts and comparing tactics with the flow of the body to ensure the historical accuracy of lessons.
After completing approximately three years of medieval training, students have the opportunity to begin an independent study of a weapon of their choice. The Conservatory refers to this independent study as a “Knight errant,” the process in which one proves themselves to be a knight. Once the errant is completed, the student will become a knight within the Conservatory, sometimes accompanied by a knighting ceremony.
The Sword Conservatory makes appearances at various events like museums, schools, and festivals. You can find them putting on pirate, knight, and even musketeer sword fighting demonstrations, based on the theme of the event. At these demonstrations, you could get a chance to hold a real piece of armor, or even challenge a member of the Conservatory to a duel! Some upcoming events they’re attending include:
Viking Experience, March 23-24
Mystic Highland Games, March 23
Greenville PirateFest, April 20
Festival of Legends, April 27-28
Swansboro PirateFest, May 13
Beaufort Pirate Invasion, September 21-22
Carolina Renaissance Festival (31st annual and the largest ren faire in NC), Saturdays and Sundays from October 5-November 24
One aspect that sets The Sword Conservatory apart from other medieval sword schools is their status as a non-profit organization. Beginning as a group of close friends in a previous for-profit guild, the founders (including Eric Lindbeck) wished to find a way to carry on their passion after the for-profit guild lost steam. Eric explains, “When we were looking to form the new organization after the for-profit was going away, we did some research and based on our experience with the for-profit school, we realized that a non-profit was really the way to go.”
Being a non-profit organization allows the Conservatory to keep fees low as part of their mission to serve the community. As a 501(c)(3), nobody is paid in the organization, from the instructors all the way up to the board of directors. Everyone involved does what they do because of their deep passion for sword fighting. The pricing on all the lessons is standardized—$40 a month for residents of Holly Springs and $60 a month for non-residents.
As part of their mission to make sword fighting accessible to a wider range of people than it usually could be, The Sword Conservatory does a number of things. Beyond keeping fees low, they use weapons made from a mixed variety of material such as tin, plastic, and foam. Using low-impact weaponry allows for old, young, disabled, or less athletic students to participate in lessons. Classes already have a diverse pool of students, in terms of both age and gender, and the Conservatory aims to keep teaching a wide variety of students sword fighting to keep the art alive.
