Will The Real Robin Hood Stand Up?
by Was Robin Hood just a medieval piece of fiction? Or was he a historical fact? The legend of Robin Hood and his merry men has become well know and loved all across the globe. People flock to our City and the surrounding areas of Edwinstowe to search out the truth about this man, an outlaw, who robbed the rich to give to the poor. But was this just a romantic notion?
Coming from the Historical City of Nottingham England, I have always had a keen interest in Robin Hood and Nottingham Castle.
Was Robin Hood just a medieval piece of fiction? Or was he a historical fact? The legend of Robin Hood and his merry men has become well know and loved all across the globe. People flock to our City and the surrounding areas of Edwinstowe to search out the truth about this man, an outlaw, who robbed the rich to give to the poor. But was this just a romantic notion?
Many historians have searched far back into history and believe that Robin was alive around the thirteenth century. Here they found tales of a man call Robin Hood, these tales date back to before 1550 and despite the legend status, and there are reasons to believe he was a real historical figure, other evidence places Robin Hood somewhere between 1190 and 1307.
If you ask anyone that has heard of Robin Hood, who he was? what did he do? They will tell you. He was an outlaw; he is famous for fighting against injustice and tyranny. He was fearless and roamed the forests of Sherwood with his band of merry men (and women).
Although during that time not many people could read or write, the job to spread the word of Robin Hood and his cause was left to the very willing, wandering minstrels that sang his merry tale as they travelled through the forests and towns.
This next bit is my most exciting bit! It was stated that Robin lived in the 100,000 acres of Sherwood Forest. A place that although it’s not as big now, it’s still very much alive and I love to walk my dogs through its twisted woodland paths. Robin Hood’s tale wouldn’t be complete with the mention of ‘The Major Oak’. The great Oak tree that lies at the heart of the Greenwood encampment is 52 feet in height and now days it has been encased in steel ropes and supports to hold it up. Its great circumference is 35 feet and it is estimated that the tree weighs 23 tons. Inside the tree there are chambers that have been hollowed out. Was this the doing of Robin Hood when he and his band of men needed a place to hide from the Sheriff and the Kings men? I like to think so. When I was a child I was lucky enough to go inside the vast tree, I can still remember the feel of the dry bark and the smell of the fungi and I used to daydream Robin had sat in the exact spot that I was sitting.
The Kings dear used to roam all through Sherwood Forest and they were an easy target for an outlaw feast, food was plentiful but I should think they made a welcome change from rabbit and rat after a day of fighting the cause for Robin and his men.
I think it is a lovely story full of heroes and villains and I want it to be true. I suppose people will go on researching, uncovering more facts forever more. We still get over 800,00 people from all around the world visiting Sherwood Forest and surrounding area, all trying to get a feel of the great Robin Hood. Legend or myth he is special to my heritage. 
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Post Commentcardy
On October 5, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Loved this I hope he was real a lovely love sotry to if that part is true? great read thanks for the share.
ken bultman
On October 5, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Robin Hood was a communist. I am Robin Hood. Sit down, Maid Marian, shut up. I’m doing this. Where are my merry men when I need them?
Christine Ramsay
On October 5, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I like to believe it is a true story. You are lucky to live where you live. An enjoyable read.
Christine
martinpm
On October 5, 2009 at 1:16 pm
nice article liked it
Shawn O
On October 5, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Interesting article. Thanks for sharing.
Frances Lawrence
On October 5, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Those minstrels did a good job, even if most of it is myth, his name was made famous, and many centuries on his name is still well known.
Lostash
On October 5, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Good for you!! We all have our local history and heritage! We have Richard III, Daniel Lambert, Thomas Cook and Englebert Humperdink!!!
Lostash
On October 5, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Richard and David Attenborough, the Elephant Man, Leicester Tigers, Gary Lineker, it just goes on and on!
jaysland
On October 5, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Good stuff! thanks for sharing!
mo hoyal
On October 6, 2009 at 12:51 am
You are so lucky indeed, or so I think, to be living in the UK. My grandparents were from Wales and it is my dream to visit there before I die. A lovely article and thank you for the information. I was hoping Triond could be reached from the UK. I have a friend in Norfolk-Hunstanton that would make such a good writer too. Maybe I can convince him one day! Keep up the good work!
lillyrose
On October 6, 2009 at 5:03 am
Losty…Gary Lineker used to live in Westbridgeford Nottingham. My friend used to see him walking his dog!
But you have the brilliant science museum! and now I know what my next article is going to be about.
STEVE666
On October 7, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Hey, great article Lilly. I tend to believe it was a myth—a GOOD myth, but a myth all the same, along with King Arther and his round table.
Anyway, I once heard that Nottingham had pinched the myth, as most of Sherwood Forest was in Derbyshire—or was it Yorkshire?
LilRoastBeef
On October 7, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Nice article…there is always a little truth to every bit of fiction…I enjoyed reading this!!
SimonMcT
On October 11, 2009 at 8:25 am
Mention of the Major Oak at Edwinstowe took me right to when I was 6 years old and we lived not too far away from Nottingham. I too was allowed inside the tree – in those days you queued outside and a slightly pompous official guided people in and out (”enter with your right foot, move around the interior anti-clockwise and then exit please”). This was the heydey of the Richard Greene TV series – which of us cannot sing lustily “Robin Hood! Robin Hood! riding through the glen!” – Nottinghamshire being famous for its glens of course…(!) I got his outfit one Christmas and would climb our apple tree blowing a plastic horn (it made a rather disappointing whistling sound) and aiming rubber-tipped arrows at the cat (I always missed).
Anyway of *course* he existed! at least in any sense that matters. But any Yorkshireman will tell you he was *really* from Barnsdale in Yorkshire – Robin Hood’s Bay is of course on the Yorkshire coast and Doncaster airport is namd after him too. (You could hear the massed snapping of an awful lot of Nottingham noses going out of joint when they gave the airport that name!)
Love the pic of the statue outside Nottingham Castle. Somewhere at home we have a pic of me, aged 6, tottering past that with an ice cream cone in each hand…
Thanks for the memories!
lillyrose
On October 11, 2009 at 9:28 am
Hehehe Simon, I remember when they named the Doncaster airport! I remember ranting about it! Of course there was a Robyn Hooud (or something like that) mentioned in York! but he got around a far bit did Robin and everybody loved him and wanted him to be theirs!
I bet I have the same kind of pic of me somewhere around, with the ice cream and stuff. I never had a maid Marion hat thing, I always wanted to be Robin!