Norton Armouries - Armour for LRP, LARP and Reenactment

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Norton Armouries Ltd are traditional armourers, manufacturing quality LRP armour in hybrid polyurethane.

The advantage of using hybrid polyurethane LRP armour is that it is very tough, yet lightweight and comfortable to wear, semi-flexible and will not corrode.

Please browse our site where you will find details and pictures of our latest LRP armour, further information about the company and details of how to contact us.

We will be adding new LRP armour regularly so please call back often.

Every piece of LRP armour pictured in our on-line shop is made from one of our hybrid polyurethanes.

Gremlin Shield
Round shield with gremlin head design and central boss.

Heater Shield
Leather Effect Heater Shield supplied undercoated in a choice of colours ready for you to add a final design.

Spoked Shield
Round shield with spoke design and central boss.

Sunburst Shield
Sunburst design shield with central boss.

Celtic Fantasy Spangenhelm
Celtic design spangenhelm with cheeks and nasal.

Eastern Spangenhelm
Pointed steel and leather-effect helm complete with nasal and chin strap.

Elven Helmet
Elven helmet designed to compliment our Elven body armour, greaves and bracers.

Fantasy Spangenhelm
Leather and steel effect dome with celtic knotwork nasal.

Horse Plume Spangenhelm
Spangenhelm with backflap, cheeks and horse detail plume holder with real horsehair plume.

Leather Beowulf Helmet
A stunning leather effect helmet inspired by the heroic saga, this helmet features a 'spectacle' face mask, knotwork embelished brow band and hinged cheekpieces.

Mongol Helmet
Mongol Helmet with leather effect edged cheek pieces, complete with fixing thong.

Plain Spangenhelm
Fitted nasal and cheek pieces, complete with fixing thong.

pointed spangenhelm
slightly pointed spangenhelm.

Smaller size

Spangenhelm
Spangenhelm with nasal, backflap and leather effect edged cheek pieces.

Spangenhelm with Nasal Bar
Plain dome Spangenhelm fitted with our standard nasal.

Sutton Hoo Helmet
Reproduction of the Anglo Saxon Sutton Hoo helmet.

15th Century Great Bascinet
15th Century Great Bascinet with hinged visor and bevor. Maximum head circumference 26in (66cm).

Archers Sallet
15th Century Archers Sallet with rivet detail.

Barbute
15th Century Barbute with smooth finish.

Combined Bascinet & Kettle Hat
Combined Bascinet with pivoting Kettle hat and Bevor plate.

Crusader pot helm
crusader style pot helm with integral face guard

Great Bascinet
14th- 15th Century Great Bascinet with lifting visor.

Great Helm
14th Century style Great Helm with lifting visor.

Kettle Hat
Pointed kettle hat in hammered metal finish.

Kettle Hat
15th Century Kettle hat, complete with chin strap.

Norman Conical Helm
Norman helmet with integral nasal bar.

Plain Bascinet
14th Century plain Bascinet with chin strap.

Pointed Brow Bascinet
Pointed brow bascinet with hammered metal finish.

Samurai Kabuto
Samurai Kabuto

Tipping Sallet
15th Century one piece Tipping Salet, complete with chin straps.

Visored Sallet
15th Century Visored Sallet with lifting visor.

Close Helmet
16th Century Close Helmet with pierced visor.

Fluted Close Helmet
16th Century Close Helmet with fluting detail.

Maximillian helmet
16th Century helmet with lifting visor.

Spanish Morion
Spanish style morion with rivet detail.

16th Century Cuirass
16th Century Breastplate and backplate with pointed front.

Bevor
15th Century Bevor

Celtic Fantasy Armour
Celtic fantasy breastplate and backplate.

Child's Armour
15th Century Children's breastplate with optional backplate and arms.

Child's Breastplate
Children's breastplate only. No backplate available

Crocodile hide effect leather cuirass
Croc. hide leather effect cuirass. including backplate and shoulders

Dark knight Demon
Breastplate and backplate (shoulders not included)
With Demon motif.

(photograph coming soon)

Dark knight Skull
Breastplate and backplate (shoulders not included)
With skull motif.

Decorative shoulder strap
Ideal for including with any muscle cuirass and transforms any normal chain mail.

Dragon Armour
Complete Dragon Armour made from our more flexible Poly for added comfort.
Complete with Greaves.

Eagle Muscle Cuirass
black leather muscle cuirass with eagle detailing

Elven Body Armour
Elven-style two piece body armour. Made from our more flexible Poly. Matching greaves and bracers also available.

Elven Captain breastplate
With the addition of some decorative motifs. this transforms the basic elven breastplate into a 'captain of the guards' version. breastplate only

Etched Breastplate
16th century etched breastplate with optional matching backplate, moulded from an original.
Particularly suitable for women.

Female paladin cuirass
Female form decorative paladin breastplate.

Fixed Fauld Breastplate
15th Century breastplate with fixed fauld.

Flemish Cuirass
15th Century cuirass with fleur-de-lys design on the breastplate.

Gothic Cuirass
15th Century Gothic Cuirass with fluting detail

Lamellar Armour
Lamellar armour comprising backplate, breastplate, shoulder plates and tassets. This armour is made from our more flexible Poly for added comfort.

Leather Effect Dragon Armour
Complete Leather Effect Dragon Armour including Greaves. Made from our more flexible Poly for added comfort.

Leather Muscle Cuirass
Leather-look muscled cuirass with backplate included. Made from our more flexible Poly for added realism.

Lion Muscle Cuirass
black leather muscle cuirass with lion detailing

Longer Muscle cuirass
A longer muscle cuirass more suited to people 6' tall plus. Includes backplate. (fittings may vary)

Milanese Cuirass
15th Century Milanese cuirass with backplate.

Muscle Cuirass
Muscled Cuirass including back plate.

Muscle cuirass with swirl
Muscle breastplate with shoulder swirl decoration.

Orc Armour
Seven piece Orc body armour, comprising of upper and lower front plates, back plate, shoulders and upper arm pieces.

Samurai Armour
Samurai body Armour

(greaves now available in the leg section of our catalogue)

Small Metal-look gorget
Metal finished gorget to offer an alternative method of shoulder attachment

Troy Style Leather Cuirass
Woven leather finish cuirass.
Made from our more flexible Poly for added realism.

Verdigris Gothic Cuirass
15th Century Gothic Cuirass in a gold and verdigris finish.

Articulated Spaudlers
Sold as a pair, complete with top lacing holes and upper arm strap.

Celtic Bracers
Leather effect Celtic design bracers complete with lacing thong. Made in flexible Poly.

Celtic Fantasy Bracers
Celtic style fantasy bracers in metal finish. Matches Celtic fantasy breastplate.

Dark night skull spaulder
Skull motif spaulders with bone and metal effect.

(breast and backplate not included)

Decorative Paladin pauldron
Highly decorative pauldrons to suit the decorative female paladin cuirass.

Elemental bracers
Elementally inspired bracers.
sold as a pair

Elven Bracers
Elven bracers to match the Elven breastplate and greaves. Made in our more flexible Poly.

Fantasy Vambrace
Leather-look bracer comprising Spaudler, upper cannon, couter and lower cannon.

Full Arm Harness
Complete arm armour comprising of Vambrace and detachable Articulated Spaudler.

Gothic Demi-Gauntlets
A pair of gothic gauntlets without fingers.

Gothic Gauntlets
Sold as a pair with inner glove, complete with wrist straps.

Green Lady pauldrons
Pair of finely detailed green lady pauldrons.

Custom finish available, please Email before ordering.

Leather-look Arm Bracers
Made from our flexible material.

Mitten Gauntlets
Sold as a pair, complete with hand, wrist and thumb straps.

One Piece Spaudler
One piece spaudler with fixed plates.

Pauldron
15th century style pauldrons.
Sold as a pair.

Star emblem pauldrons
Simple pauldron with star motif. Works well on any muscle cuirass.

Vambrace
Comprising upper cannon, couter and lower cannon.

15th Century Leg Armour
Three quarter legs.

Anti-Paladin lower leg greaves
Lower leg greaves only. with latex horns and 2 colour as shown (horn colour may vary)

Anti-Paladin upper leg
Upper leg piece for the Anti-paladin set

Banded Greaves
Leather-effect with metal banding.

Celtic Fantasy Greaves
Celtic style fantasy greaves in beaten metal finish. Matches Celtic fantasy breastplate.

Celtic Greaves
Leather-look Celtic style greaves to match the Celtic style bracers.
Made from flexible Poly.

Classical Greaves
Classical greaves in a smooth metal finish.

Elven Captain Greaves
Elven captain style greaves to match the Elven captain breastplate and bracers.

Elven Greaves
Elven style greaves to match the Elven breastplate and bracers.

Fluted Poleyn Assembly
Fully articulated five plate poleyn assembly to cover the knees.

Gladiator Style Greaves
Moulded from the original masters produced for the film Gladiator.

Plain Greaves
Plain greaves with hammered metal finish.

Poleyn Assembly
Five plate protection to cover the knees.

Samurai set legs
Greaves to go with the current samurai set.

Etched Chamfron
Two piece chamfron with decorative etched detail.

Two colour effect available price on application.

Gothic Chamfron
Highly decorative full size fluted
horse chamfron.

Banded Greaves
Leather-effect with metal banding.

Celtic Bracers
Leather effect Celtic design bracers complete with lacing thong.

Celtic Greaves
Leather-look Celtic style greaves to match the Celtic style bracers.

Fantasy Vambrace
Leather-look vambrace comprising Spaudler, upper cannon, couter and lower cannon.

Leather Muscle Breastplate
Leather-look muscled breastplate with optional backplate.

Leather-look Arm Bracers
Made from our flexible material.

Boetian Helmet
Boetian cavalry helmet from 3-4th Century BC.

Corinthian Helmet
Corinthian helmet from the 6th Century BC.

Lion Helmet
Macedonian Lion Helmet in antique bronze effect.

Roman Legionary Helmet
Roman styled helmet 1st - 2nd century AD.

Thracian Helmet
Thracian helmet from 3-4th Century BC.

Celtic Belt Plaque
Celtic design belt plaque in pewter.

Celtic Buttons 1
Celtic design pewter buttons with rear loop for stitching. Sold in a pack of 5.

Celtic Buttons 2
Celtic design pewter buttons with rear loop for stitching. Sold in a pack of 5.

Celtic Buttons 3
Celtic design pewter buttons with rear fixing loop. Sold in a pack of 5.

Celtic Buttons 4
Celtic design pewter buttons with rear fixing loop. Sold in a pack of 5.

Celtic Buttons 5
Celtic design pewter buttons with rear fixing loop. Sold in a pack of 5.

Celtic Buttons 6
Celtic design pewter buttons with rear fixing loop. Sold in a pack of 5.

Conical Studs
1/2" round conical brass studs with foldover fixing pins. Sold in a pack of 5.

Flat Round Stud
5/8" diameter flat brass stud with rear foldover fixing pins. Sold in a pack of 5.

Large Celtic Buttons
Large pewter celtic design buttons with rear fixing loop. Sold in pairs.

Pyramid Studs
5/8" square brass pyramid studs with foldover fixing pins. Sold in a pack of 5.

2mm Round Thong
2mm round leather thong sold by the metre.

3mm Square Thong
3mm square thong available in 2 colours.

6mm Flat Thong
6mm x 1mm Flat thong in a natural colour.

Celtic Fantasy Suit
Comprises Celtic fantasy helmet, breast and backplate, greaves and bracers.

Dragonskin Suit
Comprising breast and backplates, full arms, shoulders and legs.

Elven Suit
Comprises helmet, upper and lower breastplate, bracers and greaves.
All items are also available separately in the armour catagory

Female Paladin set
comprising of the Decorative female paladin cuirass without backplate and the decorative paladin shoulders.

Medieval Suit
Comprises helmet, breast and backplates, greaves and bracers.

Elven Body Armour
Elven-style two piece body armour.

Muscle Breastplate
Muscled breastplate available with or without backplate. Custom finishes availabe (email your requirements for a quote)

Dark Lord Helm
An enhanced fantasy barbute.

Elven breastplate
revisit of the current elven breastplate, making it into a one piece item and including decoration on the edges. Also working on a matching backplate.

Elven Captain bracers
A pair of bracers to match the Elven captain set.

Elven crown/headband
Elven crown/headband following the Elven Captain theme.

Fantasy Barbute
A plain barbute more suited to the fantasy genre.

Full armour - Gothic
A full Gothic harness. Inc. breast, back, arms and legs.

Full armour - Milanese
A full Milanese harness. Inc. Breast, back, arms and legs.

Greek style star emblem set
Full set of greek style muscle cuirass front and back, shoulders, vambraces and leg greaves with a star motif through-out.

Large gorget
larger sized gorget more suitable for use with spaulders. Also for the broad of shoulder.

Large pitted 16th C. spanish style armour
Large sized spanish style breastplate only with pitted finish.

Large sized 15th Century breastplate
Large sized fixed fauld 15th century style breastplate. No backplate.

leather-look banded bracers
leather-look bracers with bands

leather-look cross bracers
Leather look bracers with cross detail.

Leather-look woven bracers
Leather-look woven bracers that look good with the troy style armour

Lorica segmenta
Our take on the most well known of roman legionary body armours.

Muscle cuirass sizes
The muscle cuirass will become available in 3 sizes medium, large and XL.

Orc set revisited
Adding vambraces and greaves to the ever popular orc set.

Scale arm and legs
Large scales covering shoulder and upper arm, with vambrace and greaves to match.

will be available as seperate items.

Green Lady wall hanger
finely detailed green lady.

custom finishes available please Email before ordering.

Anti-Paladin lower leg greaves
Lower leg greaves only. with latex horns and 2 colour as shown (horn colour may vary)

Anti-Paladin upper leg
Upper leg piece for the Anti-paladin set

Celtic Fantasy Bracers
Celtic style fantasy bracers in metal finish. Matches Celtic fantasy breastplate.

Child's Breastplate
Children's breastplate only. No backplate available

Crocodile hide effect leather cuirass
Croc. hide leather effect cuirass. including backplate and shoulders

Crusader pot helm
crusader style pot helm with integral face guard

Dark knight Demon
Breastplate and backplate (shoulders not included)
With Demon motif.

(photograph coming soon)

Dark knight Skull
Breastplate and backplate (shoulders not included)
With skull motif.

Dark knight skull spaulder
Skull motif spaulders with bone and metal effect.

(breast and backplate not included)

Decorative Paladin pauldron
Highly decorative pauldrons to suit the decorative female paladin cuirass.

Decorative shoulder strap
Ideal for including with any muscle cuirass and transforms any normal chain mail.

Eagle Muscle Cuirass
black leather muscle cuirass with eagle detailing

Elemental bracers
Elementally inspired bracers.
sold as a pair

Elven Captain breastplate
With the addition of some decorative motifs. this transforms the basic elven breastplate into a 'captain of the guards' version. breastplate only

Elven Captain Greaves
Elven captain style greaves to match the Elven captain breastplate and bracers.

Female paladin cuirass
Female form decorative paladin breastplate.

Female Paladin set
comprising of the Decorative female paladin cuirass without backplate and the decorative paladin shoulders.

Green Lady pauldrons
Pair of finely detailed green lady pauldrons.

Custom finish available, please Email before ordering.

Green Lady wall hanger
finely detailed green lady.

custom finishes available please Email before ordering.

Lion Muscle Cuirass
black leather muscle cuirass with lion detailing

Longer Muscle cuirass
A longer muscle cuirass more suited to people 6' tall plus. Includes backplate. (fittings may vary)

Muscle cuirass with swirl
Muscle breastplate with shoulder swirl decoration.

pointed spangenhelm
slightly pointed spangenhelm.

Smaller size

Samurai set legs
Greaves to go with the current samurai set.

Small Metal-look gorget
Metal finished gorget to offer an alternative method of shoulder attachment

Star emblem pauldrons
Simple pauldron with star motif. Works well on any muscle cuirass.

The company was founded in 2000 by the Managing Director David Cubbage, who has had many years experience in the re-enactment and film industry and is a master armourer. He has produced armour and costume for many film and TV projects including Gladiator, A Knight's Tale, Beowulf, Band of Brothers, Leprechauns and Jack and the Beanstalk the True Story. Under the Norton Armouries banner, the company has gone on to work on many major productions including Timeline, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Van Helsing, Troy, King Arthur, Alexander and Kingdom of Heaven (some of which are not yet released), as well as a wide range of TV and theatre projects. Although initially we developed this process for producing armour, we have also used it for props and special effects with great success. Our unique process has many other possible applications, some of which we are still developing, and we are always enthusiastic to try something new. Our projects have been wide and varied and have included fully mounted knights, medieval saddles, horse harness and armour, shields, weapons, horses, as well as a wide variety of helmets and armour ranging from pre-roman to futuristic and fantasy. The company is set in the beautiful village of Eastnor, which forms part of the Eastnor Castle Estate in rural Herefordshire, yet is only a 10 minute drive from the M50 motorway, giving quick and easy access to the rest of the UK. Due to the confidential nature of much of our work, we are not open to the public, although we are happy to welcome visitors by prior appointment. On site we have several workshops including a traditional armoury where we fashion the majority of our metal masters, a modelling and moulding workshop, a modern industrial processing plant where we produce our polyurethane armour, costume and props, as well as full assembly, painting and finishing facilities. Our team of highly skilled and dedicated craftsmen can take on a wide variety of projects and have the ability, if required, to take a project through from the design stage to the finished article. Each assignment is given the same attention to detail whether it be a one-off piece for a principle character, or fitting out an entire army of warriors. All our armour and costume is made from a hybrid polyurethane which was pioneered for use in the film industry by David as an armour material for the blockbuster film Gladiator. It quickly gained in popularity and has now become the preferred choice of stuntmen, both for its' look and its' comfort. The advantage of using hybrid polyurethane rather than traditional materials is that it is very tough, yet lightweight and comfortable to wear, semi-flexible and will not corrode. It also allows us to produce large amounts of items very quickly in a wide range of realistic finishes.

Armet A type of closed helm that conforms to the shape of the head, covering it completely. Arming Cap A small quilted cap worn under the maille coif that offered protection against blows and the friction of mail against the head. Arming doublet Quilted garment worn under armour from the early fifteenth century, equipped with points to attach mail gussets and pieces of armour. Arming points Laces, cords or similar ties used for fastening sections of armour together. Also used to attach or hang armour from an arming doublet. Aventail A combination mantle-and-scarf of maille attached with vervelles to the bottom edge of a helm, protecting the neck and shoulders. B Back Plate A form-fitted piece of plate armour, enclosing and protecting the back half of the upper body. Barbote A high bevor of Spanish design, with falling lames, with eye slits for vision. Barbute Known also as: barbut, barbuta, celata. An Italian helm, fitting closely to the head, characterized by a rounded skull, a T-shaped opening for the face, sometimes expanded into a fully open face and severely flared tail and cheek pieces. Bard Known also as: Barding. Defensive covering for the horse, referring to either the plate armour or the padded trimmings which displayed the heraldic markings of the knight who owned the horse. Bascinet Alternate spelling: Basinet. An open-faced helm that evolved out of the cervellaire, (a small, archer's "skull cap" worn under the great helm), by raising the back of the crown and extending the lower edges to covers the sides and back of the head. Typically worn in combination with an aventail and a visor. Bellows Visor A helm visor with deep, transverse (horizontal) grooves. Besagew A Small round defensive plate that was laced to the mail at the shoulder to defend the armpit. Developed as augmentation to mail in the late 13th century, it's use declined during the early 14th century and was no longer in use at all by the mid-14th. Bevor Known also as: bavier or buffe. A cupped defense for the chin attached to a gorget. Commonly used with a sallet done in the German style, they were also used with Italian armours. Birnie Known also as: byrnie, byrne, brene, broigne, and bruny. A mail, relatively short in length, coming down only to the waist, with half-sleevs. Bishop's Mantle A collar of mail protecting the neck, shoulders and upper chest. Bracer Known also as: Archer's Guard. Protective armour for the wrist forearm, as well as specifically protecting the forearm of an from the recoil of his bowstring Breast Plate A form-fitted piece of plate armour, enclosing and protecting the half of the upper body. Breaths Holes or slits used for ventilation placed in the front of a helm. Brigandine Known also as: Brigandyron, Brigantayle. Armour made of plates of iron or steel overlapping upwards, riveted to a cloth or leather garment. The plates were "tinned" to prevent rusting, and were located on the inside of the armour, with the rivet heads showing through on the outer surface.. Buckler A small round shield, in use from the 13th through 16th centuries, carried by infantry or used for sword-sparing practice as a target shield. Burgonet Known also as a Burginot. Introduced in the 16th century of Burgundian origin, it is an open helm, with an umbril (brim) projecting over the eyes, a comb on the crown with ear-flaps hinged to the sides. C Cabacete A 15th century Spanish helm with a turned-down brim and an almond shaped Skull ending with a protrusion shaped like a small shaft. Cabasset An open helm worn by foot soldiers during the late 16th century and 17th century. It has a narrow brim and a small point protruding from the crown. Camail Introduced in the 14th century, a piece of mail armour for the neck and shoulders. It is attached to a bascinet, and has a strap attached to the upper edge with holes which fit over vervelles (staples) located around the opening in the front of the headpiece. Lacing passed through the vervelles to hold it in place. It covered the sides of the head, neck and shoulders and commonly had a left forehead of the helm in order to provide facial protection. Cannon Tubular plate armor wrapping around the upper and lower arm. Related: vambrace and rerebrace. Casque Known also as: Casquetal. Similar to a Burgonet, an open-faced helm in use from the 9th through the 13 centuries. It was a snug-fitting rounded or pointed steel bowl, with a nasal, typically worn over a mail coif and an arming cap. Casquetel An Open-faced helm with an umbril (a brim) and a laminated neck guard. Celata Open-faced Italian sallet, common in the fifteenth century. Cervelliere The small steel skull cap worn under the great helm during the last part of the 13th century and into Chainmail Known also as Chainmaille. Related: Maille. Chamfron The plate armour covering a horse's face. 14th century examples are very rare, showing crude construction, using globular pierced defenses for the eyes. The chamfron became well developed in the 15th century, when the horse was more fully armoured in plate steel. The crinet, another portion of horse barding, covered the horse's neck. Chapel de Fer Known also as: a kettle hat. A simple open-faced helm with a wide brim. Charnel The hinged staple or bolt that secured the fourteenth century helm or great basinet to the breast and backplate. Chausses Mail protection for the legs, either in the form of mail hose or strips of mail laced round the front of the leg. Close-helm A Helm which, with a full visor and bevor, completely encloses the head and face; modern use of the term tends to refer not to helms with hinged cheek-pieces opening at the front (the armet) but visored helms pivoting open on bolts or rivets each side of the skull. Coat of plates Known also as: a pair of plates or simply plates. A cloth garment with a number of large plates riveted inside, worn in the fourteenth century. Cod-piece Fabric covering for the groin, latterly padded. Its counter part in armour could be either mail or, more usually, plate. Coif Pronunciation: "qwoff". A Mail defense for the head in the form of a hood, often worn under a helm. The mail coif was worn over a padded cap, called an arming cap, and provided protection against shock and penetration. By the twelfth century it occasionally incorporated a Ventail which could be pulled across the lower part of the face. Collar Related: gorget. Comb Morion The keel-shaped ridge, often very pronounced, that passes from front to back of a helm over the skull, conferring extra strength and rigidity and contributing to its glancing surfaces. In the mid-sixteenth century, the combs of morion helms were raised and enlarged to an excessive height for reasons of fashion. Corslet Alternate spelling: corselet. A light half-armour popular in the 16th century for general military use (for example, town guards). It consisted of a gorget, breast, back and tassets, full arms and gauntlets. The term can also be applied to the cuirass only. Cote Armour Known also as Jupon. A quilted garment worn over a breastplate or coat of plates or as the sole body defense during the 14th century. Widely used in England, they required virtually no technical skill to produce and were light and easy to transport. Used extensively by soldiers, they were often worn with the Chapel de Fer for head protection. Couter Alternate spelling: cowter. Armour plate defense for the elbow. Crinet Plate armour defense for a horse's neck. Related: bard, crupper, flanchard, peytral and shaffron. Crupper Defense for a horse's rump. Related: bard, crinet, flanchard, peytral and shaffron. Crest A heraldic recognition device fixed to the top of the great helm, introduced in the second half of the thirteenth and in wide use by the fourteenth century. Cuirass Known also as: pair of curates. A backplate and breastplate designed to be worn together. Cuirboille Alternate spellings: courboille, cuir bouilli. A material used for armour to add rigidity. It was made by boiling or coating heavy leather with beeswax, often enhanced with other ingredients, then wrapped around a form and allowed to dry. Cuirie A 13th Century torso defense, originally made of leather. Cuisses Alternate spelling: Cuishes. Armour for the thighs. Culet A defense for the rump, comprised of overlapping lames. E Elbow Cop Related: Couter. Elbow Gauntlet A gauntlet whose cuff reaches the elbow, obviating both vambrace and couter. Enarmes The hand grip and arm-straps on the back of a medieval shield. Epaule de Mouton A plate steel armour for the entire arm. First introduced in the 15th century, it was used only for jousts. The epaule consisted of a single piece formed to cover the whole arm, made of cuirboille, iron or steel. Espalier Related: Spaulder. Etching A metalworking process applied for decorative purposes to the surface of armour plates. Often used in conjunction with blueing, gilding, etc. Exchange Pieces Supplementary armour pieces which could be added to, or exchanged with, those comprising a harness in order to customize said harness for particular applications, i.e.. jousting, fighting at the barrier, etc. F Falling Buffe 16th Century armour for the throat and lower face. It evolved from the bevor and was comprised of several lames, retained in place by spring catches, which could be lowered for better ventilation and vision. Fan Plate Projection from an elbow or knee cop designed to prevent a blow from wrapping around and landing in the joint. Fauld Armour, usually composed of horizontal lames, attached to the bottom edge of a breastplate to protect the abdomen. Finger gauntlets Gauntlets with each finger protected by its own separate set of lames. Flanchard A plate attaching to the base of a saddle, protecting the flanks of a horse. This closed the gap between the crupper and the peytral. Related: bard, crinet, crupper, peytral and shaffron. Frog-mouthed helm Fourteenth-century and later helm, usually attached to the breastplate and backplate, where the lower edge of the sight projects well beyond the upper edge. G Gadlings Protruding studs, sometimes of zoomorphic form, on the finger and knuckle joints of a gauntlet. Particularly popular late in the 14th Century on fingered gauntlets. Gambeson A quilted doublet of cloth, stuffed with tow, wool, or other materials. They appear to have been worn over maille armours, under them, and instead of them at times. There is confusion and ongoing debate over the exact meanings of this word and the related term aketon. Gamboised Cuisses Padded, quilted thigh defenses of the late 13th and early 14th Centuries. Gardbrace Reinforcing plate shaped to fit over and augment the pauldron on Italian 15th Century armours. These were attached to the pauldron by means of a staple and pin. Gard-cuish Related: Tilting socket Gard-cuisse Related: Tilting socket Gard-rein Armor for the buttocks Garniture A complete plate armour that also features many exchange pieces; 16th Century. Gauntlet Armour for the hand and wrist, initially made of maille, in later periods made of plate armour. Gorget Piece of armour protecting the throat. May be a simple collar or a more elaborate design composed of several pieces. Gothic Armour German armour of the late 15th Century, characterized by a slim angular line, cusping, fluting, and fan-shaped designs. Grand Guard A reinforcing piece of armour, attached to the left side of the breastplate and covering the left shoulder, upper arm, left side of the breastplate, and left side of the visor. Designed for use in the tilt. Great Helm Related: Helm. Greave Known also as: earlier, a jamber or schynbald. A defense for the lower leg, originally only defending the shin, but later including a hinged back-plate to defend the calf. Guige Strap attached to the back side of a shield by which it could be slung about the bearer's neck. Gusset A 15th Century piece of maille, sewn or pointed to the arming doublet, used to cover the armpit and portions of the arm left exposed by the plate armour. Also, a 16th Century laminated defense for the armpit of a breastplate. H Harness A suit of armour. Haubergeon A short type of hauberk, typically reaching only to just below the hips. The terms are often incorrectly used interchangeably. Related: Birnie (Byrnie). Hauberk A mail shirt reaching to somewhere between mid-thigh and the knees. Most often, it included sleeves, either half-length sleeves (reaching to the elbow) or full-length sleeves, (reaching to the wrist), although there were versions that were sleeveless. Sometimes , the term refers to similarly shaped garments made with scale. Related: Birnie (Byrnie) and haubergeon. Haute-piece Upstanding neck guard attached to the pauldron. Heater shield A form of knightly shield which appeared in the 13th Century, shaped like the bottom of a flat iron. Helm An all-enveloping armour "hood" which enclosed and protected the entire head, face and neck, reaching almost to the shoulders. Hunskull An English version of the German hundsgugel , meaning "dog head", a nickname for a pointed visor found on bascinets of the late 14th and early 15th Centuries. J Jack A defensive jacket or doublet either of linen stuffed with tow, or lined with small metal plates. Jamb Known also as: jamber, jambart, or jambiere. An early medieval term for leg armour. Related: greave and schynbald. K Kastenbrust A modern term describing a type of angular breastplate popular in Germany between 1420 and 1450. Kettle hat An open-faced helm consisting of a bowl and a broad brim, resembling the British "tin hats" of World War I. Known also as: a "Chapel de Fer". Kite-shaped shield A large, elongated triangular shield with a rounded top used throughout Europe from the 10th to the 13th Century. It is commonly associated with the Normans. Klappvisier A modern term for a globular visor worn in Germany in the 14th Century on bascinets. It was hinged at the front of the skull of the helm and covered only the area unprotected by the aventail. L Lame A narrow strip or plate of steel, sometimes used in armour to provide articulation. Lamellar armour Armour consisting of small plates laced together to give a rigid defense. Of Near Eastern origin, it was used throughout the Middle Ages in Eastern Europe, but was not common in the West. Lance rest A support for the lance when couched; it was bolted to the right side of the breastplate and was often hinged. M Mail Alternate spelling: Maille. A flexible defense of interlinked and riveted rings of metal; its origin appears to be Celtic. In most European cases, each link passes through four others ("4-in-1" weave) and the garment is shaped through the addition or subtraction of rings in appropriate places. Manifer A plate defense for the lower part of the left arm and hand, usually constructed in one piece and designed for the joust. "Maximillian" armour A modern term applied to a style of early 16th Century armour characterized by narrow, parallel fluting. It was popular from the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian I (1494-1519) to the middle of the 16th century. Mitten gauntlet A gauntlet with articulated transverse lames covering the fingers, rather than the fingers each being separately protected by a series of articulated plates. Morion A 16th Century development of the kettle hat, widely used by infantry and consisting of a skull with a broad brim, flat or turned down at the sides, but which sweeps upward into a peak at the front and rear. There are two main types: (1) The Spanish Morion, or Cabasset, which has an almond-shaped skull ending with a stalk-like projection derived from the Cabacete, and (2) The Comb Morion, which has a high central comb along the apex of the skull. Muffler A maille, mitten-like extension to the sleeve of a hauberk with a hole at the wrist that allowed the wearer to remove his hand. "Munition armour" Mass-produced, cheaply made armour for the common soldiery, produced in very large quantities at the beginning of the 16th Century. Related: Almain rivet. Munnions Articulated lames, often attached to the gorget, protecting the shoulders and upper arms. N Nasal A strip of plate steel armour to the front of a helm to protect the nose. O Occularium The eye-slits in a helm. P Pasguard A plate reinforcement for the left elbow of armour for the joust. Pauldron Piece of armour covering the shoulder. Usually large, covering the upper third of the torso. Pavise Large, usually rectangular shield carried by infantrymen and frequently used in siege work to protect archers and crossbowmen. The largest were equipped with a prop to support them. Peytral Horse armour designed to protect the horse"s chest. Related: bard, crinet, crupper, flanchard and shaffron. Pigface An modern term referring to the visor on a hunskull visored bascinet. Related: hunskull and bascinet. Plackart A plate reinforcement attached to the breastplate, which at first covered the lower half but latterly, especially on Italian armours, covered nearly the entire breastplate. Plate armour Armour made of rigid iron or steel plates. Platemail An erroneous Victorian era term for referring to plate armour or plate and maille hybrids. Related: plate armour and maille. Poldermitton Reinforcement for the right arm on jousting armour. Poleyn A cup-shaped plate defense for the knee, usually equipped with a side wing of heart shape. Pomme A spherical decoration for a helm, often gilded and worn instead of a crest in the 15th Century. Pot General term for a simple, common soldier's helm (usually of morion type, such as the "pikeman's pot"). R Rennhut A heavy, one-piece sallet designed for the Rennen, a type of German joust fought with sharp lances. Renntartsche A large shield of wood and leather reinforced with metal, covering the whole of the wearer's body and bevor. It screwed to the breastplate and bevor. Designed for the German Rennen. Rerebrace Piece of armour covering the upper arm from the elbow to the shoulder. Rennzeug Armour designed for the Rennen. Rump guard An oblong plate hung from the lower edge of the culet on 15th Century armours. S Sabaton Known also as: Solleret. A Piece of armour covering the foot. Sallet A light helm either fitted with a visor or open-faced, varying in form, having a tail to protect the neck. Known in England as a salade. Scale armour Armour made of small, overlapping scales or plates sewn or laced to a cloth garment. Scalemail An erroneous Victorian era term for scale armour. Related: scale armour. Schynbalds A plate defense for the lower leg which protected only the shin and was strapped over the chausses. Related: Greave. Shaffron Known also as: a chaffron, chanfron. Defense for a horse's head. Forms covering only the upper part of the head became popular in the mid-16th Century (demi-shaffron). Related: bard, crinet, crupper, flanchard and peytral. Sight Known also as: occularium. The vision slit in a helm or visor. Skull The part of a helm covering the top, back, and sides of the head above the ears. It can also denote a simple metal cap. Spangenhelm A modern term for conical helms constructed of a number of segments riveted together; descended from Late Roman prototypes. Spaudler Piece of armour covering the shoulder joint. Not as large as a pauldron. Splint Light arm defenses used in the 15th and 16th Centuries, gutter-shaped and intended to protect only the outside of the arm, they were often found on cheap armours intended for infantry use and on certain types of German armour. Related: Almain rivet. Standard A maille collar common in the 15th Century. Stechhelm A "frog-mouthed" form of great helm, worn for the Gestech (a type of German tournament), bolted to the breastplate. Stechtartsche A small rectangular wooden shield for the Gestech, suspended by cords from the breastplate. Stechzeug Armour designed for the Gestech. Stop rib Small metal bar riveted to plate armour to stop the point of a weapon sliding into a joint or opening. T Target A small circular shield. Tasset A defense for the top of the thigh, hung from the fauld by straps to cover the gap between cuisses and breastplate. They first appear in the 15th Century. Tilting socket Large plate reinforcing cuisses which provided protection for the thighs and knees and hung from either side of the saddle. Known also as: a gard-cuisse. Tonlet Known also as: a base. A deep, hooped skirt of steel worn on foot combat armours in the late 15th and early 16th Centuries. Turning-joint An enclosed circular joint above the elbow, enabling the arm to twist. A flange on the rim of the upper cannon of the vambrace rotates inside an embossed groove along the lower edge of the rerebrace. U Umbo A shield boss, usually in the center of a shield, covering and protecting the hand as it holds the grip. V Vambrace Piece of armour covering the lower arm from the wrist to the elbow. Ventail An integral flap of maille attached to the coif in the 13th Century; it could be drawn across the mouth to protect the lower face. Vervelles Staples attached to the base of a bascinet for the attachment of an aventail. Related: bascinet and aventail. Visor Protection for the eyes and face; a plate defense pivoted to a helm's skull. W White armour A modern term for a plate armour of plain, polished steel. Wrapper A reinforcing piece for an armet or other helm which was strapped about the helm and protected the lower half of the face.