Byrunsdale, Old Basford, home of Robin Hood.

 

Robin Hood researchers look to the late 14th century collection of tales “A Gest of Robyn Hode”, as a source of information. First circulated in printed format in the 16th century, having been added to over time, it is still a piece of entertainment bringing together all the most famous stories about the legendary outlaw. The second verse of the original tale in that collection (translated here into plain English) states:

“Robin stood in Bernesdale,

Leaning on a tree, 

And by him stood Little John, 

A good yeoman was he.” 

It is this reference to Bernesdale, (or “Bernysdale“), which became rather too simply translated as “Barnsdale”, that is responsible for the theory that Robin Hood was a Yorkshire man. But the distances involved don’t make sense.

 Take just one obvious example, why would a lad from a forest in Yorkshire have such an ongoing grievance with the Sheriff of Nottingham? And why would he spread his activities so wide? Robin Hood and his “Merry” Men were effectively a gang, and gang’s don’t do that. They operate within a very specific “territory”, marking it as their own, recruiting members from that same region to better ensure their security and loyalty.

In the late 80's Nottingham historian Jim Lees put forward the theory that Bernysdale was in fact Byrunsdale, a small region within Basford, Nottingham, now only marked on maps as Old Basford. Byrunsdale (also named Brinnesdale in some historical documents), was about 3 miles North of Nottingham Castle. Go just 7 miles further North from Byrunsdale and one is in the region where Robin Hood is said to have met Little John, Friar Tuck, and Alan A Dale, whilst robbing the rich merchants and tax collectors in Thieves Wood along the Kings Great Way. Logic dictates that Robin Hood was indeed from Nottingham, and that this stretch of “highway” between Nottingham City and Blidworth, where there were riches to be had within walking distance of home, was his territory.

 Above: The River Leen as it flows through Old Basford in a somewhat modified state. It was over the River Leen which Robin Hood first met Little John in a location some 7 miles North of here.

Above: "Robin Hood", 1991. Below: "The Adventures of Robin Hood", 1938.

River Leen, Papplewick. Robin Hood meets Little John.

 

 It was said to be across the River Leen that Robin Hood met Little John. A once significant feature in the landscape, River Leen ran down the valley into Nottingham on a route more or less where the A60 is today. However, from at least the early 13th century, and in order to provide power for various Mills, it was dammed, diverted, and divided so much that today it has almost disappeared from the map on it’s way down from Kirkby, through Ravenshead, Papplewick, and on into the City of Nottingham itself. This video was shot as the river passes between Papplewick and Linby, where it was used to power various cotton mills. I chose this area because it has several connections with the Outlaws of Sherwood Forest.

Above: "The Legend of Robin Hood", TV series 1975. "The Adventures of Robin Hood", 1938. "The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men", 1952. "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves", 1991. "Robin of Sherwood", 1984 / 86. "Wolfshead", 1969.