HoodWinked!

IS YORKSHIRE 'ROBIN'NOTTINGHAM OF A LEGEND?Benjamin Dunn follows the Yorkshire trail of the legendary outlaw and finds some surprising clues...

He's the original thug in 'da hood' who everybody loves to hate. His name? Robin Hood, the medieval bad

boy gangster in bright green tights. Long associated with the historic English city of Nottingham, this

notorious villain of his day is now famous throughout the world. This can be credited to scores of books

and several Hollywood movies displaying an array of depictions characterising one of Europe's greatest

myths. But who was this man of the middle ages? Was he a law unto himself? He entered folklore as a

hero of the people, ultimately gaining the unexpected gift of immortality. But will his legend live forever?

Later this year Appion Way, the production house run by Leonard DiCaprio, brings us another slab of the Robin Hood legend. Welsh actor Taron Egerton shoots his long-bow as the leading man, while Ray and Djano Unchained's Jamie Foxx – an even bigger draw, offers up a twist as Robin's wingman, Little John.

It is well known that Nottinghamshire has many associations with our man in the hood, but little is known that 'Gods own country', Yorkshire further North has some substantial and extremely interesting claims and place name connections of its own related to the original bad boy bandit of Sherwood Forest.

It Was A Good DayleOne such location within the expanse of what was once known as Sherwood Forrest, until its decimation for ship construction under King Henry VIII is a place called Barnsdale. This is a steep sided valley, where horses and carts had no choice but to slow to a halt as they rode down (Roman) Watling Street (some say Ermine Street), otherwise known as 'The Great North Road' to cross a strategic bridge over the river Went. This was at the imaginatively titled village of Wentbridge, which became a perfect place for The Prince of Thieves to pick off the riches of those unfortunate wayfarers passing through the valley. This is even recorded as being referenced in the medieval ballad, a versed song in story-form, "Robin Hood and the Potter":

"'Y mete hem bot at Went breg,' syde Lytyll John"

Which you'll be glad to know translates in almost 21st century English as:

"'I met him but at Wentbridge,' said Little John"

A Lyttle Gest of Robin Hode

Livin' On The Edge (of Sherwood)

Moving further North into Yorkshire, there is a pub called the Old Halfway House which is situated at a cross roads, likely to have built on the site of many an ancient coaching inn over the years. This hostelry has recently undergone a change of hands and reopened in the early May of 2018 serving feasts and ales Robin Hood himself would be proud to poach. What's the connection? The Halfway House pub is in an area actually called Robin Hood with a nearby Robin Hood Hill, adjacent to the village of Outwood – indicating the edges of Sherwood Forest. Outwood even gets a mention in the medieval ballad “A Lyttle Gest of Robin Hode”.

A local researcher, Eric Houlder who has given a talk several years ago to the Holme Valley Civic Society uncovered some incredible facts in support of the connections. Back in 2010 The Huddersfield Examiner quoting Mr Houlder wrote:

"Robin Hood was outlawed at Pontefract and in the original ballads went to live in Barnsdale Forest, an area just north of Doncaster"

The newspaper informs us how in medieval times a forest was an area ruled by something called 'Forest Law'. Forests were not necessarily completely wooded, “The early ballads mention Barnsdale Bar, Robin Hood’s well and other places in Barnsdale Forest, but nowhere is there any mention of Nottinghamshire.” Why would of the earliest literary references to Robin Hood fail to mention the place most famously associated with him?

Bow Thugz N Our MoneysCrossing into West Yorkshire, there are two further sites with connections to the fugitive of the forest - one being the City of Wakefield. According a Manorial Court Roll from the year 1325, a man called Robert Hode, is in dispute with a woman called Matilda, the wife of Thomas de Counale. This is over a piece of land they both lay a claim of ownership towards. This disagreement between Robert and Matilda de Counale is significant as it shows a man almost matching the name and story of Robin Hood being a landlord in possession a piece of land. This is however at a place called 'Sourby' which is to be taken as Sowerby Bridge, more specifically over an area called Bentlayrode, which still exists today as Bentleyroyd. Moving on, the Wakefield land dispute is over a plot which is near the old market place. The Manor Court Rolls of 1316 tell how the couple purchased a parcel of land called 'Bichill'. Many, many years later in 1357 an entry shows the "tenement on Bichill formerly in the tenure of Robert Hood". Of the Sourby case, this 700 year old legal document goes on to state how:

"Matilda sues the said Robert for her dower in 6 acres in Bentlayrode, defendant says her husband Thomas had no rights in the said land"

Furthermore, the Court Rolls for the Manor of Wakefield for 1331-33 also refer to a Robert Hood. Could this be one and the same person, who has number of land interests dotted about the area? It is perhaps noteworthy that the name Matilda crops up in 1316 as Roberts wife, and then in 1325 as Thomas' wife.

Perhaps Robert and Matilda divorced, she later is remarried to Thomas, and from this there was some dispute over her dowery – the highly prized land?

This Robert Hode, whose profession was given as a forester is then at the time of 1322 recorded in the court rolls as actually being an Outlaw, living somewhere within Sherwood Forest. It is possible he was part of the Lancastrian Revolt of that year and was on the unvictorious side. Its even claimed he deserted on one campaign, hence the status as an Outlaw. His dwelling place was within the Manor of Wakefield, where he held 2 acres of land as a yeoman farmer at a spot known then as Bichill, meaning Birch Hill. The Bichill area of Wakefield at this time was part of the nucleus of a then small town – and today is covered by part of the bus station. Possibly stand 'H' for Hood! On the opposite side of the road stands an ancient building, used until 1854 as the Elizabethan built Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, which founded in 1591 and constructed around the same time.

Wakefield's Old Elizabethan Grammar School, built within Robert Hode's Bichill holdingsAbove Right: Example of a Yeoman's or 'Hall' House dating to the late 13 th Century, in Kent.

The Counting House, an historic 14th Century structure in nearby Pontefract. It is likely Robert Hodes five room house at Bichill, Wakefield resembled these.

Inn Da HoodJust to add a bit more weight to the case for these Yorkshire links, there are or have been at one time several pubs within the county called the Robin Hood. One exists at Cragg Vale, as the trail up into the Pennines beyond Halifax is followed. Until the last decade or so there was also pub of the same name in the Undercliffe area of North Bradford, which was at the cross roads of Otley and Killinghall Roads. This site is very near the line of a suspected Roman Road - known as Silverhill Road, which crosses the nearby cricket pitch. The building at last report was a plumbers merchants. There is also an almost identically named inn on Town Gate in Hebden Bridge. Of course there are many more pubs dotted around the country with this or a similar name, and none necessary guarantee a genuine historical connection to the authentic myth. You will find pubs of this name in North London, Southampton, Merseyside and Sheffield to name but a few. What is could tell us however is the length and bredth of how his myth travelled throughout the land, and the extent of the crafty copy cat crooks who would literally cash in on the legend and fierce reputation of one of history's most revered bandits and highwaymen. Centuries later, characters like William 'Swiftnix' Nevison famed for his murderous misdeeds at Howley Hall between Batley and Morley and the infamous Essex lad Dick Turpin a century later would have grown up on the exploits of Sherwood's finest fleece merchants. A quick check on Google reveals at least three pubs named after Dick Turpin, two in Essex and one in Staffordshire. If the logic of him visiting these areas, and a later name check is anything to go by, then the likely hood of R.H. calling by and at a later date being remembered through a pub could well stand firm.

Old Halfway House, Robin Hood at Outwood, Wakefield Now closed Robin Hood pub at Undercliffe, Bradford

13th Century Kirklees Priory Gatehouse Map showing locality of Barnsdale Forest C12th

The Blood of Robin Hood (Get Rich or Die Tryin')(Or Kirkleeasy-E and the Blood of A-Bow-Man)

As previously mentioned there is the area of Robin Hood Hill near Outwood, which is not far from Lofthouse and another Roman Road way. At Brighouse, there is yet another pub of this name, resting on Wakefield Road. However, to reach an end and hone in on the other key site related to our focus of study here – not far from Brighouse on the way to Mirfield there is a place called Kirklees Priory which holds a huge association with the legend. This local tale infers that Robin was being treated for a wound by the Abbess of the Cistercian Priory. Some believe her name to have been Elizabeth de Staynton, and some suggest she was Robin's own cousin. To treat his wounds, she practiced blood letting, but drew too much blood from his body and he subsequently died. Before he drew his last breath however, legend lends the tale that he fired one last arrow from his long-bow, which shot out of the priory's window, travelled a distance of a thousand yards and where it fell marked the spot where he would be buried. Much has been mooted over the reason for this treacherous betrayal of her own kinsman, but it would seem the dispute was yet again over more land and the supposition of great wealth to be acquired. There is a stone inscription somewhere within the grounds, but it is only available to view publicly on an open day once a year, through prior booking.

Robin Hood's Grave at Kirklees Priory, with stone inscription inset.Hear underneath dis laitl steanLaz robert earl of HuntingtunNe'er arcir ver as hie sa geudAn pipl kauld im robin heud

Sick (such) utlawz as he an iz menVil england nivr si agen

Obiit 24 kal: Dekembris, 1247

Note: This date of 1247 is almost a century prior to Robert Hode appearing in Wakefield Manorial Court Rolls who dies in 1340.

A Shot In The Dark?Having shone a light over this mystery, and Robin's Yorkshire connections it can only be fair to say that there are evidentially quite a lot of associations within England's largest county. Whether you choose to believe such a character ever existed at all is entirely up to you. However, there is plenty of reason not to doubt the legend and the bright light of hope it seems to bring to people in despair when a shadow of darkness and oppression descends upon them from time to time. We all seem to be drawn to the legend of Robin Hood, and perhaps its best that both Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire learn to share him. Being a freeman of the forest he belonged to no-one but himself through his deeds and doings and therefore why should anyone lay claim on him now? As long there is tyranny and oppression and the rich get richer as the poor get poorer, the legend of Robin Hood shall never die out. It will therefore imbue the spirit of the forest rebel to live on forever in England's hearts and the hearts and souls of those anywhere on this earth who are willing to embrace his enigmatic free-spirit.

Taron Egerton as the new Robin Hood in Leonard DiCaprio's 2018 Production.

The Ballad of Robin Hood's GraveIn Sherwood Forrest there once stood

A man they did call Robin HoodBorn of valour in privilege and pride

There snapped something one day insideHe'd lived a life beset with honour

But felt the eye of England's monarchA good man turned bad to serve his needs

To win hearts and stomachs, for it was the poor he'd feedFrom from fleecing Sherwoods guests through merry jest

He'd open up the rich mans chestHe travelled far and ventured wideBeyond Outwood and to the tides

From Barnsdale's bridge to Liversedge and Lyttle John's auld Hathersage Did Robin wander on his well worn weary way

Then betrayal struck at fifty yearsWhen bled to death at doomed Kirklees

His own kith Elizabeth doth do him in through treachery and mortal sinA final test he's laid to rest upon the place his arrow impressed