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        It was the tradition of all noble families to send their young children to begin training in the arts of Knighthood. Any boy with ambitions to become a knight had to undergo thorough training that began, usually at the age of seven. The child would be sent to the house of another noble lord since parental tenderness was judged to be a hindrance to the Childs education. Here the boy would take up the duties of Page. He was first taught unfaltering obedience to his new Lord and Lady, he would serve them at their table and be taught to ride. It was left to the Lady of the manor to teach the child the gentler aspects of Knightly behaviour such as the arts of chivalry, love and religion.

        At around the age of Fourteen the child would graduate to the rank of Squire, at a religious ceremony he would exchange his dagger for a more manly sword. Over the course of the next few years he would be trained in it's correct use and his duties would become more varied. He would be trained in the use of other weaponry such as the lance and the battle axe. He would also be responsible for the care of his Lords armour and he would follow him on campaigns and into battle, he would help defend his lord on the battlefield, drag him from it if injured and bury him if killed. The term Squire comes from the French "Ecuyer" which meant shield bearer. In the 11th and 12th centuries many Squires seem to have been from a lower social class and it was not until later that it became only the sons of noble families who took this calling.

        Then at the age of Twenty One the Squire would take the ceremony of knighthood, at first this would be a simple clap to the back of the neck or a punch to the shoulder  and it was not until the 13th century that this was replaced by a tap with a sword. However the influence of the Church once again came to the fore and the ceremony became more rooted in religious symbolism. The young Squire would be expected to fast the day before his initiation and spend the night in prayer. On the following morning he would be stripped and bathed to represent his purification, then dressed in a red robe (symbolic of the blood to be spilled over his career ) After a high mass the young Squire approached the altar to have his sword blessed. This religious part of the ceremony compete he would be brought before his Lord who would question him on his motives for wanting to become a knight, having been given a satisfactory response he would then grant the squire his Knighthood.