Robin Hood a.k.a. Robin of Loxley
INTRODUCTION
Two young men succeeded where others failed. They found a pardon in the Public Record Office dated May 22nd 1382, granted to none other than Robin Hood twelve months after the Peasants Revolt.
Life for young Robin must have appeared idyllic. Fletchers made arrows on Loxley Common, deer grazed in Loxley Chase, and his cousin lived nearby. Then the Sheriff of Nottingham came to Yorkshire, and his cousin became the Prioress of Kirklees.
After fleeing to York while still young Robin became a talented yeoman forester, knight, and merchant. He provided King Edward with green cloth and the impoverished knight with new clothes. A protector of the poor Robin opposed King Richard of poll tax fame, Gisborne the Lord Mayor of York and churchmen. Their taxes forced the destitute into absolute poverty, whereas Robin gained a reputation for being a friend of the poor. Guy of Gysbourne the bounty hunter became a Freeman of York the same day as Robin in 1365.
The Gest of Robin Hood tells of King Edward’s hunting expedition to Yorkshire and Nottingham when he took Robin a prisoner in 1364. The kynge came to Notynghame with knyghtes in great araye for to take that gentyll knyght and Robyn Hode if he may.
NOTES:
John Harrison in his Exact and Perfect Survey of the Manor of Sheffield and other Lands published 1637 wrote, William Green, one of my Lord’s keepers, held these parcels of land following No. 352; Imprimis, Great Haggas Croft near Robin Hood’s Bower is environed with Loxley Firth and contains 1 acre 2 Roods, and 27 square perches. Item; Little Haggas Croft wherein is the foundation of a house or cottage where Robin Hood was born; this piece is compassed about with Loxley Firth and contains two Roods and 13 square perches.
Roger Dodsworth, a notable antiquarian born 1585, added more detail when he wrote, Robert Locksley born in the Bradfield Parish of Hallamshire wounded his stepfather to death while ploughing and fled into the woods where his mother sustained him. Then, going to Clifton-upon-Calder (Kirklees), he met Little John who kept the kine. After which he joined with Much the Miller’s son.
*A. H. Smith in The Place-Names of the West Riding of Yorkshire simply notes that Loxley is the one associated with the Robin Hood ballads. (English Place-Name Society, vols. XXX-XXXVII). Cambridge: University Press,)
*Locational surnames such as Robin of Loxley were used, particularly as a means of identification for those who left their birthplace to settle elsewhere. (Surname database) The Chapelry of Wadsley covered an area approximately 8 square miles and included Loxley, Hillsborough, Oughtibridge, Middlewood, Worrall and Holdsworth.
There is a clip of snowbound Loxley Common HERE.
Copyright © 2020, Graham Kirkby NEXT PAGE
Two young men succeeded where others failed. They found a pardon in the Public Record Office dated May 22nd 1382, granted to none other than Robin Hood twelve months after the Peasants Revolt.
Life for young Robin must have appeared idyllic. Fletchers made arrows on Loxley Common, deer grazed in Loxley Chase, and his cousin lived nearby. Then the Sheriff of Nottingham came to Yorkshire, and his cousin became the Prioress of Kirklees.
After fleeing to York while still young Robin became a talented yeoman forester, knight, and merchant. He provided King Edward with green cloth and the impoverished knight with new clothes. A protector of the poor Robin opposed King Richard of poll tax fame, Gisborne the Lord Mayor of York and churchmen. Their taxes forced the destitute into absolute poverty, whereas Robin gained a reputation for being a friend of the poor. Guy of Gysbourne the bounty hunter became a Freeman of York the same day as Robin in 1365.
The Gest of Robin Hood tells of King Edward’s hunting expedition to Yorkshire and Nottingham when he took Robin a prisoner in 1364. The kynge came to Notynghame with knyghtes in great araye for to take that gentyll knyght and Robyn Hode if he may.
NOTES:
John Harrison in his Exact and Perfect Survey of the Manor of Sheffield and other Lands published 1637 wrote, William Green, one of my Lord’s keepers, held these parcels of land following No. 352; Imprimis, Great Haggas Croft near Robin Hood’s Bower is environed with Loxley Firth and contains 1 acre 2 Roods, and 27 square perches. Item; Little Haggas Croft wherein is the foundation of a house or cottage where Robin Hood was born; this piece is compassed about with Loxley Firth and contains two Roods and 13 square perches.
Roger Dodsworth, a notable antiquarian born 1585, added more detail when he wrote, Robert Locksley born in the Bradfield Parish of Hallamshire wounded his stepfather to death while ploughing and fled into the woods where his mother sustained him. Then, going to Clifton-upon-Calder (Kirklees), he met Little John who kept the kine. After which he joined with Much the Miller’s son.
*A. H. Smith in The Place-Names of the West Riding of Yorkshire simply notes that Loxley is the one associated with the Robin Hood ballads. (English Place-Name Society, vols. XXX-XXXVII). Cambridge: University Press,)
*Locational surnames such as Robin of Loxley were used, particularly as a means of identification for those who left their birthplace to settle elsewhere. (Surname database) The Chapelry of Wadsley covered an area approximately 8 square miles and included Loxley, Hillsborough, Oughtibridge, Middlewood, Worrall and Holdsworth.
There is a clip of snowbound Loxley Common HERE.
Copyright © 2020, Graham Kirkby NEXT PAGE