Recently forced to hide in Skipton Castle while a hue and cry was raised in the town, the famous Yorkshire highwayman ‘Swift Nicks’ Nevison faced an unexpected danger. This took the form of a brave young lad, armed only with a wooden sword, who thought to test the highwayman’s mettle by challenging him to a duel.

Being a courageous sort of gentleman, and having encountered many a threat in his time, from foreign mercenaries to parish constables, Nevison was undeterred and stood his ground.

Soon, however, the potential combatants developed a mutual respect, both good fellows and knowing the other to be the same. Before long the little lad was trying out Nevison’s sword to see how it compared with his own toy blade, and singing its praises as a well balanced blade.

Click here to find out more about the famous highwayman John Nevison.