Wednesday 10 September 2014

"Were Robin 'Ood from YORKSHIRE, like?"

From T'Daily Mail:

Everything you know about t'legend of Robin 'Ood may be wrong, after experts 'ave claimed t'outlaw were in fact a Yorkshireman.

Refuting centuries-old reports that t'villain lived in Sherwood Forest in Notting'am, a curator from a Doncaster museum states evidence suggests otherwise. She claims literary references put Robin 'Ood firmly in Barnsdale, Doncaster and Pontefract throughout 'is life - and 'e were also buried in Kirklees, West Yorkshire.

"It's more than likely that Robin 'Ood were a Yorkshireman," said Carolyn Dalton, from Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery.

"Robin 'Ood's links t'Yorkshire are far stronger 'istorically. T'oldest and most detailed stories give details o't'north Doncaster and Pontefract area.

"I think over t'years Yorkshire 'a'n't made much o't'connection. In terms of where Robin and 'is men lived, 'istory points to Barnsdale near Doncaster.

"Ee by Gum. Gradely. Where there's muck there's brass. 'E were a great baker, were our Dad. 'Appen."

11 comments:

Curmudgeon said...

Surely t'headline should be "WERE Robin 'Ood from Yorkshire?"

Mark Wadsworth said...

C, a good point well made, I have updated.

Ian Hills said...

I 'eard 'e 'id out in the Ashdahn Forest, which is in Sussex, innit.

Mark Wadsworth said...

IH, it's a bit like Charlemagne, there abaft fifty memorials dotted around Germany which denote t'spot at which he were born.

Bayard said...

Perhaps there was more than one Robin Hood. When the authorities had caught and bumped off the Yorkshire one, someone else took up the franchise in Sherwood, who was succeeded by someone else in the Ashdown Forest. Or they could have all been around at the same time.

Kevin said...

I heard this story donkey's years ago, along with the other one that said he was just a myth.

Mark Wadsworth said...

B, K, it's all myths.

But it would appear that the 'official' Robin Hood is vaguely fact based, they just pulled lots of different snippets of actual real life outlaws together.

I mean, there must have been 'criminals' at the time, some of whom had a modicum of public sympathy etc.

A K Haart said...

My plumber also plumbs for a Nottingham professor who says there were about six Robin Hoods.

Mark Wadsworth said...

AKH, aye, but there were only one Robin 'Ood.

Bayard said...

It's probably an ancient pun.

DBC Reed said...

With Bayard on this one.A hoodie who robs people would be a Robin Hood.If you look up Robin Hood Northampton connection you will find that the only record of a Robin Hood doing time was in Rockingham Castle, near-ish Corby.But the historian involved, Peter Hill , whom I met, was of the opinion that a lot of the names being bandied about at the time were generic.
(PS Is the Robin Banks who does the voiceover in Mythbusters for real?)