Hey, many people don’t know about Robin Hood. In popular culture, Robin Hood and his band of merry men are usually portrayed as living in Sherwood Forest, in Nottinghamshire. Much of the action in the early ballads takes place in Nottinghamshire, and the earliest known ballad shows the outlaws fighting in Sherwood Forest. So does the very first recorded Robin Hood rhyme, four lines from the early 15th century, beginning: “Robyn hode in scherewode stod.” However, the overall picture from the surviving early ballads and other early references suggest that Robin Hood may have been based in the Barnsdale area of what is now South Yorkshire (which borders Nottinghamshire).
Other traditions point to a variety of locations as Robin’s “true” home both inside Yorkshire and elsewhere, with the abundance of places named for Robin causing further confusion. A tradition dating back at least to the end of the 16th century gives his birthplace as Loxley, Sheffield in South Yorkshire, while the site of Robin Hood’s Well in Yorkshire has been associated with Robin Hood at least since 1422. His grave has been claimed to be at Kirklees Priory, Mirfield in West Yorkshire, as implied by the 18th-century version of Robin Hood’s Death, and there is a headstone there of dubious authenticity.
The first clear reference to “rhymes of Robin Hood” is from the late 14th-century poem Piers Plowman, but the earliest surviving copies of the narrative ballads which tell his story have been dated to the 15th century or the first decade of the 16th century. In these early accounts Robin Hood’s partisanship of the lower classes, his Marianism and associated special regard for women, his outstanding skill as an archer, his anti-clericalism, and his particular animus towards the Sheriff of Nottingham are already clear. Little John, Much the Miller’s Son and Will Scarlet (as Will “Scarlok” or “Scathelocke”) all appear, although not yet Maid Marian or Friar Tuck. It is not certain what should be made of these latter two absences as it is known that Friar Tuck, for one, has been part of the legend since at least the later 15th century.
Did I do as good as JAD?
Flintstoned almost 15 years ago
Broke joke mountain.
Plods with ...™ almost 15 years ago
funny tho
Nighthawks Premium Member almost 15 years ago
looks like that mountain is about to get it’s back broken again
Grover Premium Member almost 15 years ago
You think he might have noticed that Pete bought them new bedrolls with 500 threads per inch! Feels like your floating on a bed of silk :).
jpozenel almost 15 years ago
Looks like nobody will have to read the book now!
Ushindi almost 15 years ago
Hey, many people don’t know about Robin Hood. In popular culture, Robin Hood and his band of merry men are usually portrayed as living in Sherwood Forest, in Nottinghamshire. Much of the action in the early ballads takes place in Nottinghamshire, and the earliest known ballad shows the outlaws fighting in Sherwood Forest. So does the very first recorded Robin Hood rhyme, four lines from the early 15th century, beginning: “Robyn hode in scherewode stod.” However, the overall picture from the surviving early ballads and other early references suggest that Robin Hood may have been based in the Barnsdale area of what is now South Yorkshire (which borders Nottinghamshire).
Other traditions point to a variety of locations as Robin’s “true” home both inside Yorkshire and elsewhere, with the abundance of places named for Robin causing further confusion. A tradition dating back at least to the end of the 16th century gives his birthplace as Loxley, Sheffield in South Yorkshire, while the site of Robin Hood’s Well in Yorkshire has been associated with Robin Hood at least since 1422. His grave has been claimed to be at Kirklees Priory, Mirfield in West Yorkshire, as implied by the 18th-century version of Robin Hood’s Death, and there is a headstone there of dubious authenticity.
The first clear reference to “rhymes of Robin Hood” is from the late 14th-century poem Piers Plowman, but the earliest surviving copies of the narrative ballads which tell his story have been dated to the 15th century or the first decade of the 16th century. In these early accounts Robin Hood’s partisanship of the lower classes, his Marianism and associated special regard for women, his outstanding skill as an archer, his anti-clericalism, and his particular animus towards the Sheriff of Nottingham are already clear. Little John, Much the Miller’s Son and Will Scarlet (as Will “Scarlok” or “Scathelocke”) all appear, although not yet Maid Marian or Friar Tuck. It is not certain what should be made of these latter two absences as it is known that Friar Tuck, for one, has been part of the legend since at least the later 15th century. Did I do as good as JAD?
WoodEye almost 15 years ago
I agree with Regisandkelly….. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
dipsdayal almost 15 years ago
doty in his dotage? did betteer than him usindi i agree lets sleep losing the thread here