"Lythe and listin, gentilmen, That be of frebore blode;
I shall you tel of a gode yeman, His name was Robyn Hode."
Local legends, places and walks within 2.5 miles of Kings Clipstone
Includes maps of the local path network and Sherwood Pines Forest Park
The Robin Hood legends may be just story telling, but they are still important historically because they were the popular culture of the late mediaeval period.
In 1377 the first written reference was made to rhymes about Robin that already existed. Outlaws were just that, outside the law and its protection; they could be hunted by anyone. According to different versions Robin had been a yeoman, a knight and an earl before becoming an outlaw.
Walter Bower, a chronicler in the early 1400’s, calls Robin a “cut-throat”. By the 1460’s Robin and his band are said to have “infested Sherwood and other law-abiding areas of England with continuous robberies.” In the early tales Robin's main targets were not the ruling classes, but figures of medieval corruption, like bishops, abbots and the sheriff.
It was the mediaeval ‘May Games’ that turned Robin into a mythological figure. At the May Games, Robin was often portrayed as the King of the May or Summer King, leading the procession. King ‘Robin’ and his followers from the town or church would go to another community and collect money. Perhaps the church gave the money collected to the poor, giving rise to the tales of that Robin and his merry men robbing ‘from the rich to give to the poor’.
Clipstone Old Quarter an area of Forest near St Edwin’s Chapel, contains a wealth of old oaks that would have been alive during the time of Robin Hood.
In mediaeval times the Sherwood (old English Shirwood – the wood of the shire) was 20 mile long and 8 miles wide. The land was poor and sandy so it was sparsely populated with most of the villages on its boundary making it an ideal place for outlaws.
One of only two villages completely within the forest, Kings Clipstone and its Royal Palace and Hunting Park were at the heart of the Forest. The map above shows the modern forest, but in Robin’s day it would have been a mixture of woods, wet and dry heathland and scrubby trees (shrogges). King John’s Palace
To make it an important provincial royal palace, Henry II added the Great Hall in 1180.
He also enclosed the Royal Hunting Park with a 7 mile long pale(fence). Local legend is that this may have given rise to some of the tales of Robin Hood. It was already a difficult place to make a living because of the poor sandy soil and the fierce forest laws controlling hunting, gathering timber and firewood, grazing animals and even gathering bracken. Villagers must have found the loss of so much forest pasture a savage blow. Some may decided to break the law. Discovered, they may have fled and become outlaws. Even a Vicar of Edwinstowe and a Bishop of Lincoln were caught poaching.
Compare the ink sketch by Hieronymus Grimm of 1773 with the ruins before the recent stabilisation work. Legend has it that Robin Hood and his men released peasants imprisoned in the Palace undercroft by King John. Robin tricked the King by letting it be known that he was hiding in the caves at Creswell Crags. Once the King led his men off to capture the outlaw, Robin and his men raided the palace and released the peasants.
Another Palace tale has Robin either proposing to Maid Marion through, or rescuing her from, an upstairs window of the palace.
One of the earliest pieces of land to be enclosed in the village, close to the ruins, was called Robin Hood’s Close to celebrate the connection.
The 1766 map of Kings Clipstone showing Robin Hoods Close, now the western part of Castle field (the Palace site). Sherwood Pines Forest Park – Robin Hood’s Whetstone
Whetstones were used for sharpening blades and arrow tips. Robin Hood’s Whetstone was recorded on the 1630 estate map of the parish as a boundary marker or ‘meer stone’. The stone can be found next to the old Mansfield to Tuxford (Great North Road) coach road shown below.
Right The old 18 th century Mansfield to Tuxford coach road where it crosses Whetstone ridge.
Below Pittance Dale - it is easy to imagine Richard the Lionheart meeting Robin and his men here as he rode from Nottingham to the Palace in Kings Clipstone.
Archway House – the Duke of Portland’s Lodge
Straddling the Green Ride through the forest, the lodge was sited so that the Centre Tree, a mile and half away, could be seen through the arch.
The design is based externally on Worksop Priory Gatehouse. The gatehouse is an important building because it still has the original mediaeval sculptures adorning the outside, very rare survivors of the Reformation.
The Lodge’s niches contain statues of the forest’s folklore heroes.
On the south side(front) there are figures of Robin Hood, Little John and Maid Marion.
On the north King Richard, an old friar, and Allen-a- Dale appear.
On the ground floor were two homes for Estate workers, one either side of the arch. The upper storey started life as a banqueting room but was quickly converted to a schoolroom, the first school for children on this part of the estate.
St Mary’s Church St Mary’s church, Edwinstowe
Each year hundreds of visitors flock to Edwinstowe parish church, drawn by the legend that Robin Hood and Maid Marion married at the church door. There is a sculpture of the pair outside the library.
The church, built by Henry II, slightly predates the Great Hall of King John’s Palace but a lot of rebuilding was carried out in the 19 th Century. Inside the church there is a decorative screen commemorating Forest folk-law.
The Major Oak - Robin's secret hiding place?
'The Major Oak' or Major’s Oak was called the Queen Oak during the 19 th century. The tree was named after Major Hayman Rooke, an important 18 th century historian and early archaeologist, who surveyed many Roman & mediaeval sites. He also surveyed and recorded all the ancient oaks of Sherwood and often walked to the tree from his Mansfield Woodhouse home.
According to tales Robin and his men met under the tree to make their plans. It was also claimed that the hole in its enormous split trunk provided a secret hiding place for Robin Hood and his merry men.
The truth is that the tree would only have been a sapling in Robin’s day. Route RH1 about 7miles
1. Starting at the Dog & Duck (Kings Clipstone) follow the National Cycle Route south until you reach Vicar Water Country Park. Until the new village was built this area was called Flixter Breck (Flixter Halz in the 14 th century). It is said that Robin Hood and his men used to practice on the Lawndes around Ann Bower’s Hill, which is now under the former pit tip. Lawndes comes from the Celtic and Old French for a grassy place in heathland
2. When you reach Vicar Pond (Vicar Water is the stream) follow the path along the left hand side of the pond. Then keep the old pit tip (the large hill) on your right. There are excellent views across Sherwood from the top of the hill. Ignore the path across the first old railway bridge.
3. Where the path leaves the park and meets the trail high from Mansfield turn left across Clipstone Heath, The Heath hill and the Golf Course on your right are heathland SSSIs. x
4. Cross the old railway bridge – this track is part of the old Mansfield to the Tuxford coach road. Go under the next bridge into Sherwood Pines Forest Park. Continue on this track until it forks, bear right up the hill. You are on the ‘Long Stoop’ part of the coach road. At the next cross roads carry straight on.
5. The track continues to rise all the way to the Whetstone hence the name. At the present time Robin Hood’s Whetstone is just beyond a stretch of open heath scrub on the right hand side amongst the trees at the next junction. The water pipe sign is easier to find. The stone is about 3 or 4metres off both heath roadways .
6. The old coach road slopes gently down crossing tracks, then becomes much rougher as it crosses another track. As the downhill slope increases and curves to the left you should have the Rufford Parish bank and ditch on your right. At the bottom of the hill you come to High Park Dale. Turn right and follow the track into Pittance Dale. Imagine Richard the Lionheart meeting Robin here .
7. Go left down Pittance Dale (cycle route) until you come to the Center Parcs corner. Turn left up the old Kings Clipstone to Bilsthorpe coach road. Follow the track all the way to the Sherwood Pines entrance on the B6030.
8. Walkers should use the wide verge – at the Kings Clipstone sign take the path to the left that drops away from the road towards the hedge. This avoids the section of road with high banks and no footway. Route RH2 --- about 8 miles
1. At the Dog & Duck, cross Main Road and follow Archway Road north until you come to Archway House (statues of Robin Hood & his band).
2. Retrace your steps back to the river Maun and turn left before the bridge.
3. Take the bridleway along the river. As you approach Edwinstowe football field turn right towards the river and cross the bridge. The path then runs along the river to Mill Lane. Turn left along this public road. In places there isn’t a pavement but fortunately the traffic is light and normally slow moving.
4. At the end of Mill Lane turn left towards the shops. Outside the Library there is a statue of Robin and Maid Marion with a welcome seat.
5. At the traffic lights at the top of Church Street cross over turning left to reach the entrance to the Church just beyond the Village Hall. This is where Robin is reputed to have married Maid Marion at the church door. It is worth going into the church to see the screen decorated with Robin Hood themes.
6. Take the other exit from the churchyard that leads to Swincott Road. Turn left by the cricket ground and follow the bridleway to the back of the field(past the fairground in summer).
Major Oak 7. The bridleway is signposted to Gledthorpe. Go right along the path signed to the Major Cricket Oak. Cyclists need to dismount near the tree. Pitch (You can use any of the paths across the field and follow the signs to the Major Oak).
Church 8. Stop a while and examine the most famous tree in the world. Going clockwise pass the seats and take the next left onto an old tarmaced roadway – the tarmac isn’t that Library obvious now.
9. This leads you through the heart of Birklands (literally the Birch Lands) to the Centre Tree on Green Ride (the wide grassy ride through the forest). This is a good place to see fireflies on a July evening.
10. Cross Green Ride, ignore the first turning just past the tree.
11. Turn left at the next gated track that crosses the roadway. The track drops gently downhill through Clipstone Old Quarter, which many old oaks that Centre would have been in their prime in Tree Robin’s day.
12. Ignore tracks crossing your path, eventually you will emerge at a gated fence. Cross the track. The path swings right along the edge of the forest. Keep an eye open for St Edwin’s Chapel on the field edge. The cross and commemorative stone were erected in 1912.
13. At the next junction turn left. This takes you to the A6075, extra care is needed crossing the road, speeds are high but visibility at this point is good. The path takes you through Kings Wood opposite. The remains a deer leap into the Royal Hunting Park are a short way to the right of the path. Retrace your steps onto the main route.
14. Emerging from the wood there are good views over the Maun Valley and the former hunting park (1180 to about 1830). At the time the whole area was heath and scattered trees (wood grazing) with deep dales and numerous springs. The river, inhabited by otters, meandered through deep bogs in the bottom of the valley.
15. Take the roadway to the former Farm Park –. This is in Hell Dale or Well Dale, the largest of the dales running down to the river Maun. Follow the rough roadway with a sign saying “Gate will be locked at “.
16. At lake cross the river Maun. The track rise steeply uphill. Take the left hand fork. At the next junction take the path into the wood (straight on).
17. Leaving the wood turn left. After passing the old barn at Cavendish Lodge the road turns right down Squires Lane. The Palace can be glimpsed above the village. After passing the village playing field, turn right up School Lane (track).
18. Monument Green, with a plaque celebrating the village’s rich history , is at the top of the hill. Care is needed to cross the road. Sight lines are very bad in the Rat-hole. It is safer to cross at the top of School Lane.
19. The entrance to King John’s Palace site is at the top of the Rat-hole . As you go into the field check on the board whether the lane at the bottom connecting to the National Cycle Route has been re-opened.
20. If not you will need to return to the entrance and go through the village. There is no pavement at the pinch point so extreme care is needed. It is safer to cross the road near the post box, then cross back once past Maun Cottage, (which projects out into the road).
Route RH3 ––– about 9.5 miles or combine with RH2
1. Reverse the RH2 route through Kings Clipstone and along Squires Lane. 2. After passing barn and tall Holly hedge turn right on the path through the wood. Cross the track and go down the hill.
3. Cross the River Maun and turn left along the river bank. Keep an eye on the river for kingfishers and grey wagtails.
4. Once past the lakes the track turns right and runs uphill.
5. At the top turn left along the course of the Flood Dyke, this is a lovely part of the Maun Valley.
6. At the next crossroads turn right. Bear right at the next junction. Cross the paddocks between the hedges. Take the right hand fork. This section of the route as far as the Parliament Oak is an unregistered permissive way at the present time.
7. At the top of the hill follow the track(a right turn at the corner of the field) along the field boundary.
8. You pass another of the hunting park boundary trees, the Churn Oak (thought to be corruption of Church Oak) because dissenters held services under it. It ‘s worth stopping to admire the wonderful views across Sherwood. Continue on to the Parliament Oak .
9. Cross Peafield Lane (A6075) to the Housing bridleway opposite. estate
Forest Road 10. After passing under the railway the track emerges into a housing estate. Take the first right, then first left. At the end follow the track down the side of the railway embankment. This brings you to Railway Forest Road (Warsop).
11. Turn right, pass under the bridge and take the first lane (bridleway) on the left. This takes you back into Birklands. Care is needed as there are tracks running off into the Forest Rd woods. Keep the field your left. Peafield Lane
12. When the wood goes left make a right turn, at the forest roadway carry straight.
13. When the roadway makes a left turn you turn right on to the path through the trees. You should have the Warsop parish boundary bank on your left. At the first path junction turn left – if you miss it you will end up at Warsop Windmill roundabouts.
14. Cross the next old roadway . Look out for St Edwin’s Chapel on the right. At the next junction turn right and follow the old tarmaced roadway down to the A6075.
15. Be very carefully crossing to Archway Road opposite. The tarmaced road takes you to Archway House , (see the board on the garden boundary).
16. Carry on down the hill & cross the river Maun.
17. At the Railway Bridge turn right and follow the lane into Kings Clipstone. Parliament Oak
Parliament Oak is situated on Peafield Lane (A6075) about two miles west of Kings Clipstone.
It is an original boundary tree for Clipstone Hunting Park. Thought to be 1100 years old, it is probably the oldest tree in Sherwood. It would have been just coming into its prime in Robin’s day. Unlike the Major Oak, Robin and outlaw band could have met in its spreading branches.
Legend has it that it got its name because King John, hearing of a Welsh rebellion, summand his lords hunting in the park to met him under the tree for a Council or Parliament. He then ordered the immediate hanging of the rebel’s sons held hostage in Nottingham Castle.
The original main trunk died and lays on the ground, but two small shoots have grown into the two trunks (called phoenix trees). The picture on the left shows the tree in the mid 1700s. As you can see the tree formed part of the hunting park fence. Hell Dale gate, now replaced with a steel gate is just beyond the tree. Saint Edwin’s Chapel
The hermitage and chapel of St Edwin was Saxon in origin. King Edwin of Northumbria was the first Saxon king to become a christian. He was killed in 633AD in the battle of Hatfield, fighting the army of the pagan King Penga of Mercia.
Hatfield was close to nearby Cuckney. His defeated men carried his body deep into the Forest and hid it in a secluded spot, planning to return for it later.
Returning to collect the remains, they found local people venerating him as a saint and a chapel was erected to mark the spot.
The cross was erected in 1912 to mark the site of the chapel and hermitage.
The chapel is well documented during the time of the Plantagenets. In 1201, the Sheriff of Nottingham and Derby paid 20s to the Chaplain of Clipstone. In 1212 King John started regular payments for ‘the ministering for the soul of King Henry’, his father. Similar payments by succeeding kings were paid until the time of Henry VIII.
It’s claimed locally that Friar Tuck, after secretly poisoning King John in Newark Castle, Friar Tuck became the hermit looking after the chapel. One thing we do know, the isolated chapel would have been an ideal place for the Forest outlaws to worship.
Sherwood Pines Forest Park Visitors to Sherwood Pines often get lost amongst the plantations. Dark green on the map indicates high ground and purple the dales.
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