Robin Hood's Bottle (Robin Hood's Well, Nottingham)

From International Robin Hood Bibliography
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The site of Robin Hood's Well.

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2017-05-01. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2019-06-01.

Robin Hood's Bottle was one of the items in a little collection of alleged Robin Hood relics kept at the gamekeeper's lodge, a "victualling house" or restaurant at Robin Hood's Well a.k.a. St Ann's Well in the north-eastern neighbourhood of Nottingham now known as St Ann.

The well and the gamekeeper's house played an important role in Nottingham civic life over the centuries. During some fifty years, from the late 1570's on, there was an annual procession of the Mayor and members of the civic administration, in official liveries and accompanied by musicians, to the well for a festive dinner in or outside the gamekeeper's house. Since the participation of the town fathers was mandatory, this in effect amounted to civic sponsorship of the establishment. However, during the 18th and 19th centuries the "victualling house" seems to have slowly declined in terms of prestige and the social composition of the crowd of visitors. By 1751 (see Allusions section below):

The People who keep the Green and Public House to promote a Holy-day Trade, shew an old wickered Chair, which they call Robin Hood's Chair, a Bow, and an old Cap, both these they affirm to have been this famous Robber's Property; [...] this little Artifice takes so well with the People in low-Life, that at Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide, it procures them a great deal of Business, for at those Times great Numbers of young Men bring their Sweethearts to this Well, and give them a Treat, and the Girls think themselves ill-used, if they have not been saluted by their Lovers in Robin Hood's Chair.

According to Bob White, who cites no source, the collection of Robin Hood paraphernalia also included Arrows, and Boots.[1] The Robin Hood Inn at Robin Hood's Well in Barnsdale is said to have "once [...] displayed a three pint leather bottle, said to have belonged to Robin Hood."[2] However, again no source is cited, and I wonder if the well in Barnsdale was confused with its namesake in Nottingham. On the other hand, it is of course possible that proprietors of both establishments may have come up with the idea of displaying such a relic in order to attract – more or less credulous – curiosity seekers.Template:PnItemQry

Sources

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Notes

  1. Bob White. ' The five unsolved mysteries of Robin Hood' (Nottingham Post, 13 Nov. 2013; no longer online). See instead: The Wizard of Notts Recommends: Bob White: The five unsolved mysteries of Robin Hood.
  2. See comments to photo of Robin Hood's Well (Barnsdale) at Panoramio.



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