Robin Hood's Cave (Whitwell)
| Locality | |
|---|---|
| Coordinate | 52.6636, -0.6514 |
| Adm. div. | Rutland |
| Vicinity | c. 1.15 km SW of Whitwell; submerged since Rutland Water was established in 1975-76 |
| Type | Prehistoric site |
| Interest | Robin Hood name |
| Status | Defunct |
| First Record | 1831 |
By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2017-05-26. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2022-04-25.
At the bottom of the large reservoir known as Rutland Water lie the remnants of a medieval moated site that used to be known as Robin Hood's Cave. What is left of Barnsdale Wood is located a little to the north, while Armley Wood, now largely submerged, was located a little south of the moated site. Bernard's Hill Park, later known as Barnsdale Park,[1] once covered the entire area, and it has been suggested that the moat surrounded a medieval park-keeper's lodge.[2] According to a recent article in a local newspaper, Robin Hood's Cave was filled in in 1939.[3] A few decades later the site, together with much of Barnsdale Wood, all of Armley Wood and other localities in the vicinity, was submerged when Rutland Water was created, a process that was completed in 1975-76.[4]
Robin Hood's Cave is noted in the English Place-Name Society's volume on Rutland[5], but no reference or date is cited, which in EPNS publications usually indicates that the place-names is first recorded relatively recently, probably 19th to 20th century. The earliest map source I have found for this place-name so far is the 6" O.S. map of the area published in 1885 and based on a survey made the preceding year (see Maps section below). The first edition (1831) of Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England mentions Robin Hood's Cave in its entry on Whitwell (see Allusions section below). This is the earliest source I have found yet.
Though Robin Hood's Cave is a medieval, not a prehistoric site, I have indicated 'Prehistoric site' in the infobox above. The data in the infoboxes serves as the basis for the charts found on the lading pages in the place-names section of IRHB, and for this purpose it is important to have only a few categories. As an earthwork the site fits most naturally in this category.
Note that Robin Hood's Cave (Creswell Crags) in Derbyshire is situated c. 2 km SSE of another Whitwell.Allusions
1831 - Lewis, Samuel - Topographical Dictionary of England (14)
Gazetteers
- Not included in Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 293-311.
Sources
- Cox, Barrie. The Place-Names of Rutland (English Place-Name Society, vols. LXVII/LXVIII/LXIX) ([s.l.], 1994), pp. 22, 431
- Hartley, Robert F. Mediaeval Earthworks of Rutland (Archaeological reports series, No. 7; Leicestershire Museums Publication, No. 47) (Leicester, 1983). Not seen, but cf. Ovens below.
- Ovens, Robert, compil. & ed.; Sleath, Sheila, compil. & ed.; Clough, T.H. McK, ed. The Heritage of Rutland Water. Reprinted with minor corrections (Rutland Local History & Record Society, Rutland Record Series, No. 5) (Oakham, Rutland, 2008), p. 45
- Waites, Bryan. 'Was national legend Robin Hood the outlaw of the Forest of Rutland?, Rutland Times, published 21 January 2015.
Maps
- 25" O.S. map IX.4 (1904; rev. 1903)
- 25" O.S. map IX.4 (1904; rev. 1903) (georeferenced)
- 25" O.S. map IX.4 (1930; rev. 1928)
- 6" O.S. map IX.NE (1885; surveyed 1884)
- 6" O.S. map IX.NE (1905; rev. 1903)
- 6" O.S. map IX.NE (1905; rev. 1903) (georeferenced)
- 6" O.S. map IX.NE (1931; rev. 1928)
- 6" O.S. map IX.NE (1952; rev. 1949).
Background
Also see
Notes
- ↑ See page on Barnsdale (Exton).
- ↑ See Ovens, Robert, compil. & ed.; Sleath, Sheila, compil. & ed.; Clough, T.H. McK, ed. The Heritage of Rutland Water. Reprinted with minor corrections (Rutland Local History & Record Society, Rutland Record Series, No. 5) (Oakham, Rutland, 2008), p. 45, which refers (without page reference) to Hartley, Robert F. Mediaeval Earthworks of Rutland (Archaeological reports series, No. 7; Leicestershire Museums Publication, No. 47) (Leicester, 1983). Also see Cox, Barrie. The Place-Names of Rutland (English Place-Name Society, vols. LXVII/LXVIII/LXIX) ([s.l.], 1994), p. 22.
- ↑ * Waites, Brian. 'Was national legend Robin Hood the outlaw of the Forest of Rutland?, Rutland Times, published 21 January 2015.
- ↑ Wikipedia: Rutland Water.
- ↑ {{:Cox, barrie 1994a]], pp. 22, 431.
- ↑ Lewis, Samuel, compil. A Topographical Dictionary of England, comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate and Market Towns, Parishes, Chapelries, and Townships, and the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, and Man, with Historical and Statistical Descriptions (London, 1831), vol. IV, p. 463, s.n. Whitwell [3].