Robin Hood's House (Loxley, Sheffield)
| Locality | |
|---|---|
| Coordinate | 53.406473, -1.531634 |
| Adm. div. | West Riding of Yorkshire |
| Vicinity | c. 5 km NW of Sheffield |
| Type | Building |
| Interest | Robin Hood name |
| Status | Defunct |
| First Record | 1637 |
By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2013-06-18. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2021-01-06.
In or just north of the village of Loxley were formerly found remnants of a house or cottage said to have been the birthplace and childhood home of Robin Hood. John Harrison mentioned the house in 1637 (see Evidence below) stating it was located in a field called Little Haggas Croft. Apparently no trace of this building remained in 1819 (see Evidence), but a photograph in a local newspaper in 1937 showed a wooden beam that was purportedly from this house.[1] A location near Normandale House on Rodney Hill in Loxley has been suggested.[2] In all events the site would have been very close to the present Loxley Common, a couple of hundred meters north of Rodney Hill. Here also in all probability were located Robin Hood's Bower and Robin Hood's Moss.
A Sheffield school teacher and local history buff claims to know the location,[3] so also an advertising page which uses a photo of 'Little Haggas Croft (the true home of Robin Hood)' to attract visitors.[4] The latter suggests a location near 53.406655,-1.527724 which, if not implausible, is not supported by any evidence or reasoning.Records
1637 - Robin Hood's Bower (Loxley, Sheffield)
Imprimis Great Haggas Croft (pasture) lying near
Robin Hood's Bower & invironed with Loxley
Firth & Cont. 1—2—27
Item little Haggas Croft (pasture) wherein is ye
foundacion of an house or Cottage where Robin
Hood was borne this piece is Compassed about
with Loxley flirth [sic!] & Cont. 00—2—13
Item Bower wood lying betweene Loxley firth East
& ye lands of Mr Eyre in part west & Cont. 4—1—5
Item Bower field (arable) lying betweene ye last
piece East & ye lands of Mr Eyre North & west
& Loxley firth South & Cont. 2—1—5[5]
Allusions
1819 - Hunter, Joseph - Hallamshire
But a small portion of the course of the Loxley is within the parish of Sheffield. It rises near the village of Bradfield, and flows through a thinly-peopled country, which in the memory of man was wholly uninclosed and uncultivated, called Loxley-Chase; a district which seems to have the fairest pretensions to be the Locksley of our old ballads, where was born that redoubtable hero Robin Hood. The remains of a house in which it was pretended he was born were formerly pointed out in a small wood in Loxley called Bar-wood, and a well of fine clear water rising near the bed of the river has been called from time immemorial Robin Hood's Well. This well is included within the grounds at Cliff-Rocher, a place not inaptly named by its late proprietor Little-Matlock, as it bears no mean resemblance to some parts of the beautiful valley of Matlock in Derbyshire. The walks which that gentleman cut in the boldest part of the cliff, and along a natural terrace extending to that part of Stannington in which are the chapel and minister's house, were thrown open to the public, and much frequented during several summers by the people of Sheffield.[6]
1824 - Holland, John - Picture of Sheffield
In the grounds of a most beautiful spot, about four miles from Sheffield, called Little Matlock, (after the famed Matlock in Derbyshire, which it much resembles) is a well which has been named Robin Hood's well from time out of mind, and the ruins of a house are also to be seen, in which it is said that famous marauder first drew his breath. Little Matlock is well worth visiting. There is a house of refreshment at which tea parties may be accommodated. [7]
1837 - Holland, John - Tour of Don
A little to the north of the spot where this river [River Loxley] unites with the Rivelin, lies an extensive plain called Loxley Chase, and traditionally pointed out as the birth-place either of Robin Hood, who was sometimes called Locksley, from the place of his birth—or at least one of his followers, whose name in sound if not in spelling is identical with that of the place referred to; though what grounds of identity are traceable between our Hallamshire locality and the "Sweet Locksley [p. 177:] town in merry Nottinghamshire," where, according to the ballad, "bold Robin Hood was born and bred," it would be difficult to say. The question has its interest with ballad-antiquaries: but evidence that proves too much will be received with suspicion—the story, therefore, that some fragments of a building formerly pointed out were the remains of the early dwelling of the Sherwood royster, or the fact that his well is still pointed out in Cliff Rocher, are circumstances rather amusing than elucidatory.[8]
Sources
- Addy, Sidney Oldall. 'Robin Hood's Bower in Loxley', Transactions of the Hunter Archaeological Society, vol. II (1920-24), pp. 201-202.
- Harrison, John. An Exact and Perfect Survey and View of the Manor of Sheffield with Other Lands by John Harrison, 1637, transcr. and ed. James George Ronksley, introd. by R.E. Leader (Sheffield, 1908). Not seen.
- [Holland, John]. The Picture of Sheffield; or an Historical and Descriptive View of the Town of Sheffield, in the County of York (Sheffield, 1824), p. 13.
- [Holland, John.] The Tour of the Don. A Series of Extempore Sketches made during a Pedestrian Ramble along the Banks of that River, and its Principal Tributaries (London and Sheffield, 1837), pp. 176-77.
- Hunter, Joseph. Hallamshire. The History and Topography of the Parish of Sheffield in the County of York (London, 1819), p. 3.
- Robin Hood Outlaw Legend of Loxley: Robin Hood Home of Loxley.
- Little Haggas Croft (the true home of Robin Hood) looking towards the Loxley Valley, Sheffield S6
- Robin Hood Loxley at Robin Hood Outlaw Legend of Loxley.
- Wikipedia: Loxley
- Williams, Molly. 'Sheffield teacher discovers Robin Hood's birthplace in woodlands next to school playground', The Star (2020-03-04).
Also see
Notes
- ↑ Robin Hood Outlaw Legend of Loxley: Robin Hood Home of Loxley.
- ↑ Ibid.; Wikipedia: Loxley.
- ↑ Williams, Molly. 'Sheffield teacher discovers Robin Hood's birthplace in woodlands next to school playground', The Star (2020-03-04).
- ↑ Little Haggas Croft (the true home of Robin Hood) looking towards the Loxley Valley, Sheffield S6.
- ↑ Addy, Sidney Oldall. 'Robin Hood's Bower in Loxley', Transactions of the Hunter Archaeological Society, vol. II (1920-24), pp. 201-202, p. 201, citing: Harrison, John. An Exact and Perfect Survey and View of the Manor of Sheffield with Other Lands by John Harrison, 1637, transcr. and ed. James George Ronksley, introd. by R.E. Leader (Sheffield, 1908), p. 32.
- ↑ Hunter, Joseph. Hallamshire. The History and Topography of the Parish of Sheffield in the County of York (London, 1819), p. 3.
- ↑ [Holland, John]. The Picture of Sheffield; or an Historical and Descriptive View of the Town of Sheffield, in the County of York (Sheffield, 1824), p. 13.
- ↑ [Holland, John.] The Tour of the Don. A Series of Extempore Sketches made during a Pedestrian Ramble along the Banks of that River, and its Principal Tributaries (London and Sheffield, 1837), pp. 176-77.