Is Sherwood Forest real
Sherwood Forest, woodland and former royal hunting ground, county of Nottinghamshire, England, that is well known for its association with Robin Hood, the outlaw hero of medieval legend, Sherwood Forest formerly occupied almost all of western Nottinghamshire and extended into Derbyshire.
Today a reduced area of woodland, mostly pine plantations, remains between Nottingham and Worksop, In the north the great ducal estates, or “dukeries,” of Welbeck, Clumber, and Thoresby have preserved parts of the forest, Many veteran oaks remain, and there is much heath. Agricultural encroachment has been limited by the poor, sandy soil.
An underlying coalfield has been extensively developed since the mid-19th century. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen,
Was the sheriff of Nottingham a real person?
Character – It is the task of the holder of the office of Nottingham ‘s Sheriff to capture outlaws such as Robin Hood, either to ensure the safety of trade routes through Sherwood Forest or to keep them from poaching the King’s deer, In some stories, the Sheriff of Nottingham is portrayed as having a lecherous desire for Robin Hood’s lady Maid Marian,
He is widely considered to be the principal villain of the Robin Hood stories, appearing frequently alongside such enemies of Robin Hood as Sir Guy of Gisborne or John, King of England (though rarely both). The legends are generally set far from Nottingham; this fits the historical position of High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests (from 1068 until 1568).
In the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, the Sheriff’s influence outside the region of Nottingham has grown so great, he attempts to take control of the throne. In some versions, the Sheriff is a cowardly schemer while his assistant, Sir Guy of Gisborne, is a more competent and determined physical threat to Robin.
What was Robin Hood’s real name
Robin Hood – A Beginner’s Guide to Robin Hood But a well-known later tale has a bloody explanation for Robin’s outlawry. A tall lad of 15, Robin went to Nottingham to attend a fair. He was stopped by 15 surly foresters who mocked Robin’s youth and said Robin was too young to shoot a bow.
Robin wagered 20 marks on his skill. Then, Robin shot and killed a hart that was over 550 yards away. The foresters refused to pay up and were going to beat up young Robin. But Robin managed to shoot and kill all fifteen of them. For this, he was outlawed. Also, you can read how this story was adapted in the great 19th century children’s novel The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle.
That story might be bloodier than some you are used to. But the Robin Hood of the earliest surviving ballads also beheaded his enemies such as the Sheriff of Nottingham and Guy of Gisborne. Click here to read the ballad Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne. Some stories say Robin was outlawed when he rescued Much the Miller’s Son from the sheriff’s men.
Much was hungry and had killed the king’s deer. Under the harsh forest laws, the foresters were to chop off Much’s hand or remove his eye. “Are there no exceptions?” Robin asked with an arrow trained on the sheriff’s men-at-arms. Other stories say that Robin is the son of a forester. Or that he is Sir Robin of Locksley, a knight who returned from the Third Crusade to find his land stolen by the sheriff.
And in some tales, he is the Earl of Huntingdon (or the earl’s son), a powerful land owner who loses his lands either by going into debt or by betrayal. As the earl, Robin’s real name is sometimes said to be Robin Fitzooth, or the lord of Locksley Hall.
- In the television series Robin of Sherwood, Robin of Loxley is killed, and Robert of Huntingdon becomes the second Robin Hood.
- Note: The basic information on this page reflects the biography or life story of Robin Hood as the end result of centuries of storytelling.
- For a more advanced look at how the legend has changed over time, please visit other sections of this website.
: Robin Hood – A Beginner’s Guide to Robin Hood
Who was the best Robin Hood actor?
Errol Flynn – The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) – The finest ever Robin Hood, Errol Flynn was a man who knew how to buckle a swash. No one has matched him in nearly eighty years of trying, and no one has even come close to filling a pair of tights as well as our Errol.
Which Robin Hood movie is most accurate?
What are the highest rated archery movies? – In a merry coincidence, two Robin Hood movies are tied for first place. Robin Hood (1922) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) have 100% Tomatometer scores, and they established the majority of the ground rules for the cinematic portrayal of the character (split arrows, archery contests, stealing money, green hats).
Why is Robin Hood so famous?
Legend has it that Robin Hood was an outlaw living in Sherwood Forest with his ‘Merry Men’ – but did he really exist? There are several versions of the Robin Hood story. The Hollywood one is that of an incredibly handsome man – Errol Flynn – clothed in garments of Lincoln green, fighting for the rights of the oppressed and outwitting the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. One certain fact is that he was a North Country man, with his traditional haunts as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest and a coastal refuge at Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire, One well known story about Robin that places him in Whitby, Yorkshire, is about him and Little John having a friendly archery contest.
- Both men were skilled at archery and from the roof of the Monastery they both shot an arrow.
- The arrows fell at Whitby Lathes, more than a mile away.
- Afterwards the fields where the arrows landed were known as Robin Hood’s Close and Little John’s Close.
- Robin became a popular folk hero because of his generosity to the poor and down-trodden peasants, and his hatred of the Sheriff and his verderers who enforced the oppressive forest laws, made him their champion.
Some chroniclers date his exploits as taking place during the reign of Edward II, but other versions say the king was Richard I, the Lionheart. Robin having fought in the Crusades alongside the Lionheart before returning to England to find his lands siezed by the Sheriff.
All versions of the Robin Hood story give the same account of his death. As he grew older and became ill, he went with Little John to Kirklees Priory near Huddersfield, to be treated by his aunt, the Prioress, but a certain Sir Roger de Doncaster persuaded her to murder her nephew and the Prioress slowly bled Robin to death.
With the last of his strength he blew his horn and Little John came to his aid, but too late. Little John placed Robin’s bow in his hand and carried him to a window from where Robin managed to loose one arrow. Robin asked Little John to bury him where the arrow landed, which he duly did. A mound in Kirklees Park, within bow-shot of the house, can still be seen and is said to be his last resting place.
Did Robin Hood really live in Sherwood Forest?
Legend has it that Robin Hood was an outlaw living in Sherwood Forest with his ‘Merry Men’ – but did he really exist? There are several versions of the Robin Hood story. The Hollywood one is that of an incredibly handsome man – Errol Flynn – clothed in garments of Lincoln green, fighting for the rights of the oppressed and outwitting the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. One certain fact is that he was a North Country man, with his traditional haunts as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest and a coastal refuge at Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire, One well known story about Robin that places him in Whitby, Yorkshire, is about him and Little John having a friendly archery contest.
- Both men were skilled at archery and from the roof of the Monastery they both shot an arrow.
- The arrows fell at Whitby Lathes, more than a mile away.
- Afterwards the fields where the arrows landed were known as Robin Hood’s Close and Little John’s Close.
- Robin became a popular folk hero because of his generosity to the poor and down-trodden peasants, and his hatred of the Sheriff and his verderers who enforced the oppressive forest laws, made him their champion.
Some chroniclers date his exploits as taking place during the reign of Edward II, but other versions say the king was Richard I, the Lionheart. Robin having fought in the Crusades alongside the Lionheart before returning to England to find his lands siezed by the Sheriff.
- All versions of the Robin Hood story give the same account of his death.
- As he grew older and became ill, he went with Little John to Kirklees Priory near Huddersfield, to be treated by his aunt, the Prioress, but a certain Sir Roger de Doncaster persuaded her to murder her nephew and the Prioress slowly bled Robin to death.
With the last of his strength he blew his horn and Little John came to his aid, but too late. Little John placed Robin’s bow in his hand and carried him to a window from where Robin managed to loose one arrow. Robin asked Little John to bury him where the arrow landed, which he duly did. A mound in Kirklees Park, within bow-shot of the house, can still be seen and is said to be his last resting place.
Is Robin Hood a British story
Who was the real Robin Hood? Stealing from the rich to give to the poor, Robin Hood and his Merry Men are a permanent part of popular culture. Set in during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart, the adventures of Robin Hood follow the noble thief as he woos the beautiful Maid Marian and thwarts the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.
The story has been around for centuries, but its most familiar elements are also the most recent additions. Like the roots of Sherwood Forest, the origins of the Robin Hood story extend deep into English history. His name can be found all over the English map: Robin Hood’s Cave and Robin Hood’s Stoop in Derbyshire; Robin Hood’s Well in Barnsdale Forest, Yorkshire; and Robin Hood’s Bay, also in Yorkshire.
When the story is traced back to its 14th-century beginnings, the figure of Robin Hood changes with time. The earliest versions would be almost unrecognizable when compared to the green-clad, bow-wielding Robin Hood of today. As the centuries passed, the tale of Robin Hood evolved as England evolved.
With each new iteration, the Robin Hood legend would absorb new characters, settings, and traits—evolving into the familiar legend of today. English painter Edmund George Warren’s 1859 painting of Robin Hood and his Merry Men in Sherwood Forest. The outlaws gathered in the greenwood under the great tree reflect a set of idealized symbols of old England many centuries in the making.
Photograph by Christie’s Images, Scala,
How old was Robin Hood when he died?
Rediscovery: Percy and Ritson – In 1765, Thomas Percy (bishop of Dromore) published Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, including ballads from the 17th-century Percy Folio manuscript which had not previously been printed, most notably Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne which is generally regarded as in substance a genuine late medieval ballad.
In 1795, Joseph Ritson published an enormously influential edition of the Robin Hood ballads Robin Hood: A collection of all the Ancient Poems Songs and Ballads now extant, relative to that celebrated Outlaw, ‘By providing English poets and novelists with a convenient source book, Ritson gave them the opportunity to recreate Robin Hood in their own imagination,’ Ritson’s collection included the Gest and put the Robin Hood and the Potter ballad in print for the first time.
The only significant omission was Robin Hood and the Monk which would eventually be printed in 1806. In all, Ritson printed 33 Robin Hood ballads (and a 34th, now commonly known as Robin Hood and the Prince of Aragon that he included as the second part of Robin Hood Newly Revived which he had retitled “Robin Hood and the Stranger”).
- Ritson’s interpretation of Robin Hood was also influential, having influenced the modern concept of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor as it exists today.
- Himself a supporter of the principles of the French Revolution and admirer of Thomas Paine, Ritson held that Robin Hood was a genuinely historical, and genuinely heroic, character who had stood up against tyranny in the interests of the common people.J.C.
Holt has been quick to point out, however, that Ritson “began as a Jacobite and ended as a Jacobin,” and “certainly reconstructed him in the image of a radical.” In his preface to the collection, Ritson assembled an account of Robin Hood’s life from the various sources available to him, and concluded that Robin Hood was born in around 1160, and thus had been active in the reign of Richard I.
- He thought that Robin was of aristocratic extraction, with at least ‘some pretension’ to the title of Earl of Huntingdon, that he was born in an unlocated Nottinghamshire village of Locksley and that his original name was Robert Fitzooth,
- Ritson gave the date of Robin Hood’s death as 18 November 1247, when he would have been around 87 years old.
In copious and informative notes Ritson defends every point of his version of Robin Hood’s life. In reaching his conclusion Ritson relied or gave weight to a number of unreliable sources, such as the Robin Hood plays of Anthony Munday and the Sloane Manuscript.
What happened to the original Robin Hood
Legend has it that Robin Hood was an outlaw living in Sherwood Forest with his ‘Merry Men’ – but did he really exist? There are several versions of the Robin Hood story. The Hollywood one is that of an incredibly handsome man – Errol Flynn – clothed in garments of Lincoln green, fighting for the rights of the oppressed and outwitting the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. One certain fact is that he was a North Country man, with his traditional haunts as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest and a coastal refuge at Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire, One well known story about Robin that places him in Whitby, Yorkshire, is about him and Little John having a friendly archery contest.
- Both men were skilled at archery and from the roof of the Monastery they both shot an arrow.
- The arrows fell at Whitby Lathes, more than a mile away.
- Afterwards the fields where the arrows landed were known as Robin Hood’s Close and Little John’s Close.
- Robin became a popular folk hero because of his generosity to the poor and down-trodden peasants, and his hatred of the Sheriff and his verderers who enforced the oppressive forest laws, made him their champion.
Some chroniclers date his exploits as taking place during the reign of Edward II, but other versions say the king was Richard I, the Lionheart. Robin having fought in the Crusades alongside the Lionheart before returning to England to find his lands siezed by the Sheriff.
All versions of the Robin Hood story give the same account of his death. As he grew older and became ill, he went with Little John to Kirklees Priory near Huddersfield, to be treated by his aunt, the Prioress, but a certain Sir Roger de Doncaster persuaded her to murder her nephew and the Prioress slowly bled Robin to death.
With the last of his strength he blew his horn and Little John came to his aid, but too late. Little John placed Robin’s bow in his hand and carried him to a window from where Robin managed to loose one arrow. Robin asked Little John to bury him where the arrow landed, which he duly did. A mound in Kirklees Park, within bow-shot of the house, can still be seen and is said to be his last resting place.
Why is Robin Hood French in Shrek?
Robin Hood stands out because the original character is defined by his British nationality, but he’s certainly not Shrek’s only geographical oddity. Tales usually originate from European countries, so the variety of accents is designed to add a sense of authenticity to the fictional world of the cannibal.
Where is Robin Hood buried
53°41′23″N 1°44′13″W / 53.6897°N 1.737°W Robin Hood’s Grave (pictured 2001) Robin Hood’s Grave is the name given to a monument in Kirklees Park Estate, West Yorkshire, England, near the now-ruined Kirklees Priory, It is alleged to be the burial place of English folk hero Robin Hood,
What is the oldest reference to Robin Hood
Forest legend – In all these tales, the forest figures prominently. The forest in the Middle Ages included very extensive areas of cultivated land as well as wood and waste land. They were the private preserve of the king and his officers, and were protected by a harsh series of forest laws, against which there could be no appeal – not even to the ecclesiastical courts.
The origins of the Robin Hood legend are very obscure. Forest law was extremely unpopular, among all sections of society, but it achieved its purpose of retaining vast areas of semi-wild landscape over which the king and his court could hunt. Yet the very wildness of the land made it a perfect place for fugitives to hide out, and this is why areas such as Sherwood Forest and Barnsdale feature so prominently in outlaw legend.
The origins of the Robin Hood legend are very obscure. The first literary reference to Robin Hood comes from a passing reference in Piers Plowman, written some time around 1377, and the main body of tales date from the fifteenth century. These are found in the tales of Robin Hood and the Monk (c.1450); The Lyttle Geste of Robyn Hode (written down c.1492-1510, but probably composed c.1400); and the C17th Percy Folio, which contains three C15th stories: Robin Hoode his Death, Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne and Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar,
Where is Sherwood Forest?
Origins – Sherwood Country Park lies just north of Edwinstowe, two miles from Ollerton and 17 miles north of Nottingham on the A614 Nottingham-Doncaster road. The park is within an area which originally bore a Viking name “birch lund”, now known as Birklands.
Is Little John based on a real person?
Folklore – The first known reference in English verse to Robin Hood is found in, written by in the second part of the 14th century. Little John appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories, and in one of the earliest references to Robin Hood by in 1420 and by in 1440.
In the early tales, Little John is shown to be intelligent and highly capable. In “”, he captures the sorrowful knight and, when Robin Hood decides to pay the knight’s mortgage for him, accompanies him as a servant. In “”, he is the only one of the Merry Men that Robin takes with him. In the 15th-century ballad commonly called “”, Little John leaves in anger after a dispute with Robin.
When Robin Hood is captured, it is Little John who plans his leader’s rescue. In thanks, Robin offers Little John leadership of the band, but John refuses. Later depictions of Little John portray him as less cunning. The earliest ballads do not feature an origin story for this character.
- According to a 17th-century ballad, he was at least seven feet tall and introduced when he tried to prevent Robin from crossing a narrow bridge, whereupon they fought with, and Robin was overcome.
- Despite having won the duel, John agreed to join his band and fight alongside him.
- From then on he was called Little John in whimsical reference to his size.
This scene is almost always re-enacted in film and television versions of the story. In some modern film versions, Little John loses the duel to Robin. Little John’s grave in St Michael’s Church graveyard, Starting from the ballad tradition, Little John is commonly shown to be the only Merry Man present at Robin Hood’s death.
Despite a lack of historical evidence for his existence, Little John is reputed to be buried in a churchyard in the village of, Derbyshire. A modern tombstone marks the supposed location of his grave, which lies under an old yew tree. This grave was owned by the Nailor (Naylor) family, and sometimes some variation of “Nailer” is given as John’s surname.
In other versions of the legends, his name is given as John Little, losing the irony of his nickname. According to local legend, Little John built himself a small cottage across the River Derwent from the family home. The site now has a 15th century ex-farmhouse and barn built on it, called Nether House at,
Where did the story of Robin Hood take place?
The Adventures of Robin Hood takes place in Sherwood Forest, an idyllic and ancient forest adjacent to the town of Nottingham to the south, in Central England.
Was Robin based on Robin Hood
The origin of Robin’s name and suit have been misunderstood for years by fans due to countless reboots, but DC already clarified some important info. One of the biggest misconceptions about Batman’s iconic sidekick, Robin, was already cleared up by DC Comics, Robin has become as well-known in the DC Universe as the hero that he tags along with to take on crime. With multiple people taking up the mantle of the Boy (and sometimes Girl) Wonder, there has never been a generation of comic readers that hasn’t experienced Robin in one way or another.
However, while the origin of each Robin is different, DC has revealed the true origin behind how he got the name.For many people who look at the character, it can be assumed that Robin got his name based on the design of his suit. Due to the red chest, it’s very similar the bird of the same name. This was even touched on in the great Lego Batman Movie when Robin suggests the name to Batman, making him confused as to why he’d want to associate himself with a tiny bird.
However, this is a common misconception. The true reason behind Robin’s name and the origin of his suit actually come from literature.On Twitter, DC Comics recently posted a quick blurb to ” set the record straight about Robin,” According to DC, the co-creator of Robin, Jerry Robinson, actually based the name and design of his suit on Robin Hood.
The costume and mannerisms of the character were all ” particularly inspired by N.C. Wyeth’s illustrations of Robin Hood,” In fact, Robin’s first and best origin even points out these inspirations in his very first comic, referring to him as ” that young Robinhood of today,” Knowing the story of Robin Hood though, it actually makes this fact about the character pretty amusing.
Given that Robin Hood’s whole thing was to steal from the rich and give to the poor, it’s pretty funny to see the character inspired by him teaming up with one of the wealthiest people in Gotham. However, given that Bruce Wayne has dedicated his life to stopping crime in the city and has even used his wealth to fund research into ways outside of being Batman, Robin has teamed up with someone who is using their money to fix problems rather than King John in the Robin Hood stories.
- It’s a clever way to subvert the classic narrative, so Robin can become his own character rather than essentially being Robin Hood in a superhero outfit rather than his traditional attire.
- Given the amount of times that DC has tried to reboot Robin’s origin, it’s fascinating to see just where the character actually comes from.
Not only was he inspired by the classic story of Robin Hood, but his costume also saw a direct tie to it because Jerry Robinson adored the way N.C. Wyeth depicted Hood in illustrations. The origins of Robin may have become messy over the years and led to countless misconceptions, but the Robin Hood truth behind him is incredibly fascinating and something that DC Comics is surely proud to share with its fans to appreciate the Boy Wonder’s true history.