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Sherwood or Barnsdale |
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| Ask anyone to think of the Robin Hood story and they will no doubt mention the Merry Men, Maid Marian, The Sheriff of Nottingham and, of course, Sherwood Forest. But is this really the place which was the central location for the exploits of our great hero? To Nottingham people this has been one of the great controversies of recent times. Numerous attempts have been made by rival cities in England to "steal" our outlaw and each has been greeted with a spirited defence of Nottingham's (and Sherwood's) true claim to our local legend. But still the debate rages on, centered mainly on the question, does the historical evidence and research point to Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire or Barnsdale Forest in Yorkshire as the principal haunt of Robin and his men? Barnsdale's claim to the Robin Hood legend derives from references in the very early Ballads. The Ballad of "Robin Hood and Sir Guy of Gisborne" refers to "Robin Hood of Barnsdale". |
In "Robin Hood and the Monk" the city to which Robin Travels is Nottingham where he is captured and eventually rescued by Little John. And, whilst the story of "Robin Hood and the potter" starts in Yorkshire, the main events take place in Nottingham where another encounter with the Sheriff ensues. In other stories including the association with Sir Richard of Lee, it is clearly Sherwood Forest that is the "Greenwood" of the tales. Also important is the role of the enemy who is synonymous with Robin Hood. The Sheriff of Nottingham, as the holder of this office would clearly have no juristriction outside Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire thereby excluding the Yorkshire location of Barnsdale. Finally, of the two locations, only Sherwood Forest lay claim to the designation of Royal Forest favoured by English kings. In contrast, Barnsdale in Yorkshire was in fact a sparse, lightly wooded area of no great renown. |
| The Ballad of "Robin Hood and the potter" tells of Little John meeting the potter at "Wentbreg" or Wentbridge in Yorkshire. Furthermore, the "gest of Robin Hood" mentions Sayles in Pontefract near the Great North Road in Yorkshire. Add to this the death of Robin at nearby Kirklees Priory and his alleged birth at Loxley and you can begin to see why this justification for the Barnsdale and Yorkshire basis was developed. Add to this the evidence of "Robin Hood's" deriving from the Wakefield area eg. Robin Hood of the Wakefield Rolls and the claim for a Robin Hood - Brave outlaw of Barnsdale, became to some, quite compelling. However, those championing a Sherwood Robin Hood are able to draw on substantial evidence to counter these claims. Again, a good starting point is evidence from the early Ballads. |
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So how can the apparent contradiction between the associations with Barnsdale and the surrounding places in Yorkshire be reconciled with the Sherwood and Nottingham connection? Whilst certain authors have argued that Barnsdale is, in reality, a place near Nottingham, this does not explain the specific references to places in Yorkshire like Wentbridge, Sayles and Kirklees. One possibility is that Robin may in fact have covered both territories! In geographical terms, Sherwood and Barnsdale are seperated by only 30 miles - a distance that could have been traversed by the outlaws during their exploits. Or it could just be possible that there were originally two Ballad cycles that eventually became intertwined to produce the legend we have today. Whatever the true historical basis of this debate, it is one that continues to produce claim and counterclaim from enthusiasts across the world. Long may it continue! |
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