Robin Hood's Butt (Furze Hill): Difference between revisions
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[[File:{{#var:Image}}|thumb|right|500px|Robin Hood's Butt or Clump / [https://m.geograph.org.uk/photo/2877971 Mike Faherty, 1 Apr. 2012; Creative Commons, via Geograph.]]] | [[File:{{#var:Image}}|thumb|right|500px|Robin Hood's Butt or Clump / [https://m.geograph.org.uk/photo/2877971 Mike Faherty, 1 Apr. 2012; Creative Commons, via Geograph.]]] | ||
<div class="no-img"><p id="byline">By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2022-05-05. Revised by {{#realname:{{REVISIONUSER}}}}, {{REVISIONYEAR}}-{{REVISIONMONTH}}-{{REVISIONDAY2}}.</p> | <div class="no-img"><p id="byline">By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2022-05-05. Revised by {{#realname:{{REVISIONUSER}}}}, {{REVISIONYEAR}}-{{REVISIONMONTH}}-{{REVISIONDAY2}}.</p> | ||
A widely visible New Forest landmark and arguably the most prominent archaeological feature on Ibsley Common, Robin Hood's Butt or Clump on a ridge overlooking Chibden and Brogenslade Bottoms is a distinctive clump of 18 pine trees crowning a supposed Bronze Age disc barrow. The name 'Robin Hood's Butt' first appears on a 6" O.S. map of the area published in 1872. | |||
The fairly small Scots pines currently making up the clump are said to have been planted in 1931 to replace previous trees destroyed by fire. The trees grow within a circular embankment whose interior is raised ''c.'' 40 cm above an outside ditch probably dug to provide materials for the earthwork. The diameter of the circular embankment is just over 10 metres and that of the ditch 15 metres. Although the earthwork is similar in form to others that are simply planting rings, according to English Heritage, Robin Hood's Butt incorporates as its base the remnants of a Bronze Age burial mound. Expert opinion is divided over this. A fact which speaks in favour of the barrow hypothesis is that the element 'butt' often occurs in the names of such monuments in the New Forest area. On the other hand it is difficult ot explain the absence of any indication of this feature from the earliest 1" O.S. map of the area which does include many others on Ibsley Common which are less obvious and prominent. | |||
More to follow.<!-- | |||
If | If the latter existed as an earthwork (supposed barrow) in 1808, why was it omitted? We have been unable to arrive at any precise dating of the ornamental clump planting on Ibsley Common, but Sumner's record in the "Book of Gorley"(2) is as follows: | ||
"The three clumps of Scots pine and Weymouth pine (sic) - Whitefield, Robin Hood's and Dorridge - were planted by the second Lord Normanton to give landmarks and variety to his view from Somerley of the long line of the New Forest hills, so the story is told. Whitefield and Dorridge were planted about the year 1835, Robin Hood's about the year 1850". | |||
The Dorridge Clump referred to here had been planted by 1840. It is almost certainly the enclosure on Dorridge Hill now occupied by the bungalow of that name and not the "ring" further north east. Whitefield is on an altogether larger scale. The Ibsley tithe map of 1841 shows neither Whitefield nor Robin Hood's clumps but both appear on the OS 6" map of 1872(3). | |||
A typescript in the New Forest Museum at Lyndhurst, "Notes on Hyde and Frogham" by M. Cowie (1951) contains the following: "It is still remembered how the Dowager Lady Normanton of Victorian times used to drive over from Somerley in her coach and pair, in the afternoons, to a view point on Furzehill where she had planted a ring of trees beneath which she sat to admire the views and distant prospect of Somerley House." This could hardly be any other site than Robin Hood's Clump which might reasonably be described as "on Furzehill". | |||
NT HBSMR Number: 123290 | BARROW AND TREE RING | ||
Type of Record: Landscape | Finally, the possibility that both interpretations of the earthwork might be correct cannot be overlooked. It is possible that the clump was planted on a pre-existing barrow site. Certainly there is some evidence to suggest that this was done at Three Trees Hill on Rockford Common (Site SU10NE35).(1) | ||
Name: Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, Ibsley and Rockford Commons | ----------- | ||
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NT HBSMR Number: 123290 | |||
Type of Record: Landscape | |||
Name: Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, Ibsley and Rockford Commons | |||
Summary | Summary | ||
Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, New Forest (HFCAS Section Site no. SU11SE39) NF10177 | Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, New Forest (HFCAS Section Site no. SU11SE39) NF10177 | ||
Grid Reference: SU 171 106 | Grid Reference: SU 171 106 | ||
Civil Parish: Ellingham; Harbridge and Ibsley; New Forest; Hampshire | Civil Parish: Ellingham; Harbridge and Ibsley; New Forest; Hampshire | ||
County: Hampshire | County: Hampshire | ||
NT Property: Ibsley and Rockford Commons; London and South East | NT Property: Ibsley and Rockford Commons; London and South East | ||
Map: All our Monument records are mapped in NT Heritage Records Online. | Map: All our Monument records are mapped in NT Heritage Records Online. | ||
Protected Status | Protected Status | ||
Scheduled Monument 1019305: ROUND BARROW CEMETERY ON IBSLEY COMMON, 800M SOUTH EAST OF BLUNTS BARN COTTAGE | Scheduled Monument 1019305: ROUND BARROW CEMETERY ON IBSLEY COMMON, 800M SOUTH EAST OF BLUNTS BARN COTTAGE | ||
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CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD) | CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE (Prehistoric - 500000 BC to 42 AD) | ||
Full description | Full description | ||
Sources / Further Reading | Sources / Further Reading | ||
--- SNA67960 - Measured Survey: New Forest National Park Authority. New Forest National Park Survey Avon Valley Commons, Ibsley and Rockford, New Forest. | --- SNA67960 - Measured Survey: New Forest National Park Authority. New Forest National Park Survey Avon Valley Commons, Ibsley and Rockford, New Forest. | ||
[1]XY SNA65740 - Report: Hampshire Field. August 2000. New Forest Commons of The National Trust, An Archaeological and Landscape Assessment, Volume II - The Avon Valley Commons. [Mapped features: #116100 Point Location, ; #159276 A 12m x 0.5m Bronze Age burial mound. Visible as a low cicrcular platform with a small copse of trees planted on it., ] | [1]XY SNA65740 - Report: Hampshire Field. August 2000. New Forest Commons of The National Trust, An Archaeological and Landscape Assessment, Volume II - The Avon Valley Commons. [Mapped features: #116100 Point Location, ; #159276 A 12m x 0.5m Bronze Age burial mound. Visible as a low cicrcular platform with a small copse of trees planted on it., ] | ||
[2] SNA65794 - Document: H. Sumner. 1910. "The Book of Gorley". | [2] SNA65794 - Document: H. Sumner. 1910. "The Book of Gorley". | ||
[3] SAA56 - Map: Ordnance Survey. 1872. Ordnance Survey Map. Uncertain. First. | [3] SAA56 - Map: Ordnance Survey. 1872. Ordnance Survey Map. Uncertain. First. | ||
Associated Finds: none recorded | Associated Finds: none recorded | ||
Associated Events: none recorded | Associated Events: none recorded | ||
Related records: none recorded | Related records: none recorded | ||
Images | Images | ||
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{{PlaceNamesItemAllusionsAndRecords}} | {{PlaceNamesItemAllusionsAndRecords}} | ||
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* [https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MNA180627&resourceID=6 Heritage Gateway: National Trust HBSMR 123290: Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, Ibsley and Rockford Commons] | * [https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MNA180627&resourceID=6 Heritage Gateway: National Trust HBSMR 123290: Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, Ibsley and Rockford Commons] | ||
* [https://heritagerecords.nationaltrust.org.uk/HBSMR/MonRecord.aspx?uid=MNA180627 National Trust: Heritage Records: Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, Ibsley and Rockford Commons.] | * [https://heritagerecords.nationaltrust.org.uk/HBSMR/MonRecord.aspx?uid=MNA180627 National Trust: Heritage Records: Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, Ibsley and Rockford Commons.] | ||
== Maps == | == Maps == | ||
* 25" map ''Hampshire and Isle of Wight'' LXII.12 (''c.'' 1875; surveyed 1870). No copy in NLS | * 25" map ''Hampshire and Isle of Wight'' LXII.12 (''c.'' 1875; surveyed 1870). No copy in NLS |
Revision as of 17:36, 6 May 2022
Locality | |
---|---|
Coordinate | 50.894946, -1.757353 |
Adm. div. | Hampshire |
Vicinity | Ibsley Common, New Forest; near Furze Hill; c. 1 km SE of North Gorley; c. 1 km NE of South Gorley |
Type | Natural feature |
Interest | Robin Hood name |
Status | Extant |
First Record | 1872 |
By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2022-05-05. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2022-05-06.
A widely visible New Forest landmark and arguably the most prominent archaeological feature on Ibsley Common, Robin Hood's Butt or Clump on a ridge overlooking Chibden and Brogenslade Bottoms is a distinctive clump of 18 pine trees crowning a supposed Bronze Age disc barrow. The name 'Robin Hood's Butt' first appears on a 6" O.S. map of the area published in 1872.
The fairly small Scots pines currently making up the clump are said to have been planted in 1931 to replace previous trees destroyed by fire. The trees grow within a circular embankment whose interior is raised c. 40 cm above an outside ditch probably dug to provide materials for the earthwork. The diameter of the circular embankment is just over 10 metres and that of the ditch 15 metres. Although the earthwork is similar in form to others that are simply planting rings, according to English Heritage, Robin Hood's Butt incorporates as its base the remnants of a Bronze Age burial mound. Expert opinion is divided over this. A fact which speaks in favour of the barrow hypothesis is that the element 'butt' often occurs in the names of such monuments in the New Forest area. On the other hand it is difficult ot explain the absence of any indication of this feature from the earliest 1" O.S. map of the area which does include many others on Ibsley Common which are less obvious and prominent.
More to follow.
Allusions
1910 - Sumner, Heywood - Book of Gorley
The three clumps of Scots fir & Weymouth pine – Whitefield[,] Robin Hood's, & Dorridge – were planted by the 2nd Lord Normanton to give landmarks & variety to his view of the long line of the New Forest Hills from Somerley – so the story is told – Whitefield & Dorridge were planted about 1835 – Robin Hood's about 1850 – Dorridge is the highest ground on the common – 257 feet above the sea level – while the lowest part is at the caltle [sic, for 'cattle'] stop, where the Huckles brook leaves the common – 100 feet above the sea level.[1]
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
- Heritage Gateway: National Trust HBSMR 123290: Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, Ibsley and Rockford Commons
- National Trust: Heritage Records: Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, Ibsley and Rockford Commons.
Maps
- 25" map Hampshire and Isle of Wight LXII.12 (c. 1875; surveyed 1870). No copy in NLS
- 25" O.S. map Hampshire and Isle of Wight LXII.12 (1897; rev. 1895) (georeferenced)
- 25" O.S. map Hampshire and Isle of Wight LXII.12 (1897; rev. 1895)
- 25" O.S. map Hampshire and Isle of Wight LXII.12 (1909; rev. 1907)
- 25" O.S. map Hampshire and Isle of Wight LXII.12 (1946; rev. 1940)
- 6" O.S. map Hampshire & Isle of Wight LXII (1872; surveyed 1870–71)
- 6" O.S. map Hampshire & Isle of Wight LXII.SE (1898; rev. 1895) (georeferenced)
- 6" O.S. map Hampshire & Isle of Wight LXII.SE (1898; rev. 1895)
- 6" O.S. map Hampshire & Isle of Wight LXII.SE (1910; rev. 1907).
Also see
Notes
Image gallery
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Robin Hood's Butt or Clump / Mike Faherty, 1 Apr. 2012; Creative Commons, via Geograph.
Approaching Robin Hood's Clump, Ibsley Common, New Forest / Jim Champion, 10 June 2006; Creative Commons, via Geograph.
The view from Robin Hood's Butt, New Forest / Jim Champion, 10 June 2006; Creative Commons, via Geograph.