Robin Hood (Hall Green)
[[File:|thumb|right|500px|Anonymous. The Parade, Robin Hood ([s.l.], [c. 1927]). Photographic postcard (monochrome). 141 x 89 mm. / Private collection.]]
By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2018-10-25. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2019-04-05.
According to William Dargue's web-based "History of Birmingham Places & Placenames", the name Robin Hood "refers to the junction of the Stratford Road and Robin Hood Lane and the surrounding shopping centre".[1] This is the area indicated on the 6" O.S. map detail he includes, but the early 25" O.S. maps have "Robin Hood" about 100 metres north of this location, near the site of the future Robin Hood Hotel.
Dargue notes that the name dates from c. 1800 but "has no connection with the English hero of Sherwood Forest but is probably a misreading of 'Robin Wood'". He continues "[t]his woodland stretched from Stratford Road/Highfield Road junction down to the River Cole at Trittiford. At some time in the 19th century the name was misread or miswritten as Robin Hood".[2] If the area was indeed wooded around 1800, he may well be right, but it must be noted that "Robin Wood" occurs as a variant of "Robin Hood". See IRHB's page on Wood for Hood. In all events, 'Robin Hood' as name of this area provided the direct or indirect inspiration for twenty or so localities and businesses in the neighbourhood. See Hall Green place-name cluster.
The earliest reference IRHB knows so far is a 25" O.S. map published in 1888 (see Maps below).Template:PnItemQry
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
Maps
- 25" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.7 (1888; surveyed 1886)
- 25" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.7 (1904; rev. 1903)
- 25" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.7 (1904; rev. 1903)
- 25" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.7 (1904; rev. 1903) (georeferenced)
- 25" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.7 (1917; rev. 1913-14)
- 25" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.7 (1939; rev. 1937)
- 6" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.NE (1886; surveyed 1886)
- 6" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.NE (1905; rev. 1902-1903) (georeferenced)
- 6" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.NE (1905; rev. 1902-1903)
- 6" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.NE (1920; rev. 1913-14)
- 6" O.S. map Warwickshire XIX.NE (c. 1946; rev. 1938)
- 1" O.S. Rev. New Ser. Sheet 168 (Outline) (1899)
- 1" O.S. Rev. New Ser. Sheet 168 (Hills) (1899).
Notes
- ↑ William Dargue - A History of Birmingham Places & Placenames from A to Y: Robin Hood.
- ↑ William Dargue - A History of Birmingham Places & Placenames from A to Y: Robin Hood. Single quotation marks around "Robin Hood" in the first quote replace Dargue's bold type. It is unfortunate that such an obviously well-researched website does not provide source references
Stratford Road, in the area known as 'Robin Hood' / Google Earth Street View.
