A swashbuckling Oxford college head has challenged the Mayor of Bath to a duel to decide the fate of an ancient sword.

Dr Ernest Nicholson, provost of Oriel College, threw down the gauntlet after the city of Bath launched a bid to get hold of the ceremonial weapon, dated 1423.

The 6ft sword currently hangs in the hall at Oriel College, Oxford. But the Mayor of Bath believes the sword is an important part of his city's heritage.

It was reputed to have been found in a roof in the village of Swainswick, just outside Bath, at the end of the last century.

The village, which was once part of Oriel College's estate, was the setting for the legend of the mythical Prince Bladud, who was said to have been cured of leprosy after bathing in hot mud.

Bath already has its own replica of the weapon.

But now Mayor Ray Cliffe has launched a campaign to get the original loaned or given back to his home city. He said that although the sword was not Bladud's true weapon - it was simply named after him - it represented an important part of their city's heritage.

He told the Oxford Mail: "It has a lot of legendary associations. It would be a good attraction in Bath. I do not think we have any legal entitlement to it but I thought we might come to some agreement and they would loan it to us."

He joked: "I suggested we should mobilise the charter trustees (ceremonial leaders of the city) and march on Oxford.

"But the charter trustees thought it was far too far and thought they would rather go by coach."

Dr Nicholson, provost of Oriel, where the sword hangs beneath a portrait of Edward II, said: "Maybe if he brings his replica and I have the original we could have a duel in the quad and the winner takes all. He must in any event come and have dinner."

He said there had been a claim that the weapon had been a ceremonial sword of the corporation of Bath because it was marked with a fragment of a coat of arms similar to that of the city. One theory is that William Prynne, a recorder of Bath and son of a tenant of Manor Farm, took the sword back to his farm after being sacked from his post in the 17th century.

A more plausible theory is that the sword, which has the initials RD engraved on it, once belonged to Richard Dudley, a fellow of Oriel College between 1495 and 1506, who gave Swainswick Manor to the college as a benefaction in 1525.

Dr Nicholson said: "The date on it is 1423 but it has clearly been tampered with. If the date of the sword was 1523, which seems likely, this would agree with the date of Dudley's gift. He might possibly have given the sword along with the manor as a kind of heirloom.

"It's been in possession of Oriel for a long time. We wouldn't give it up."

But he said that Mr Cliffe could put his request to borrow the sword in writing.

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