ROBIN HOOD

ROBIN HOOD

The first literary reference to ROBIN HOOD seems to be in 1377, with most of the early stories being set in the 15″ century in and around Sherwood Forest near Nottingham.

However, the Scottish historian JOHN MAJOR, writing in 1521 maintained that ROBIN HOOD was born in 1160 and died in Yorkshire in 1247 and that he had been outlawed in 1193/1194 when he was in his thirties.

John Major believed that Robin’s outlawed activities were carried out in the Barnsdale Forest area of Yorkshire, just off the main route between London and Edinburgh (The Great North Road)

The Hunting Lodge at COWICK was just over 10 miles from Barnsdale and would be an easy journey for ROBIN HOOD and his men to take.

This is why we believe that in 1193 Robin Hood had decided to break in to the Hunting Lodge and retrieve money that had been collected from the local population by Prince John and his loyal supporters.

ANOTHER PIECE OF EVIDENCE On 25″ July 1225 the royal justices held an assize in YORK where a 65 year old man named Robert Hod was described as a fugitive and charged with owing money to the court.

Our belief is that by the year 1199 when King John came to Cowick, Robin would be 39 years old and his outlaw days would be over. It is entirely possible Robin would go on to live in Yorkshire for MANY years until his death in 1247 at the age of 87.