The Castle rises picturesquely from the river, and from its position and
great strength was for a long time known as the 'Key of the North'.
Of the original Norman
stronghold the most important remains are the gate-house,
a crypt and the
lofty rectangular tower at the south-west angle. The building seems
to have been reconstructed in the early part of the 13th century.
KingJohn of
Englanddied at this castle on 19 October 1216. King John died at
Newark from excessive eating and drinking. Protestant historians of
the 16th century wrote that he was poisoned by a monk at Swineshead
in Lincolnshire. The monk received orders from the Pope to kill King
John and took a small amount of poisoned wine himself to reassure the
King and also died.
In the reign of Edward
III it was used as a state prison.
During the English
Civil War it was garrisoned for Charles
I, and endured three sieges. Its dismantling was begun in 1646,
immediately after the surrender of the king.
PHOTO CREDIT: Stuart Reddish
This month we are expanding on to YouTube so we can incorporate short video clips to supplement our articles - click on the youtube logo to view our test videos.
Since the release of the Robin Hood film at the start of last month we have had some questions about the use of longbows and the use of the Yew Tree with its long history in the folklore of the English countryside. This is one subject that fits very well in the history of Sherwood Forest but a subject that here at sherwoodforest.info we only know the historical facts of battles longbows triumphed in. So we have selected three approaches. The first link is to a site that has spent many hours pulling together (pardon the pun) all sorts of information about longbow archery. The second site is the site of the professional and the ancient traditions and craftsmanship. The third site is Youtube and a range of film clips on the use of the longbow and the many people who enjoy the special sport longbow archery provides. We hope you all find the answers you are looking for. All you need to know about longbowsHERE The Worshipful Company of Bowyers HERE See a film on how to shoot a LongbowHERE
The Forest Stone Assembly Site
Lyndhurst Forest Mansfield
The Forest Stone, The Justice of Eyre and Sherwood Forest Courts. The Forest eyre was the circuit which itinerant royal justices toured, sitting at each forest court with the county for a short period. Records of the local courts of attachment, also known as swainmote or verderers courts, were handed into the forest eyre. Courts of attachment were held every 40 days to punish minor Forest offences such as the illicit cutting of wood or greenery, allowing livestock to stray. They were presided over by verderers who were elected by freeholders in the county court. There were four verderers to each Forest.
There were grievences at all levels of society against Forest Law from Barons to Peasants. Henry III disafforested land that King John and Henry II had afforested. The Charter of the Forest in 1217 relxed Forest Laws. There was no more death and mutilation for Forest offences.
Please click HERE to read an account of Sherwood Forest Law
Soon to be released on Video?
SEE THE PREVIEW TRAILER of the new film ROBIN HOOD with RusselI Crowe - Press HERE TO VISIT THE FILM SITE.
Get to Nottinghamshire - see the film - see the history - see the exhibition!! For more information please klick HERE
FRIENDS OF THYNGHOWE
You may be looking for an interesting day out walking or cycling in Sherwood Forest. Check out the Friends of Thynghowe website. They have masses of information and downloadable PDF information sheets that will guide you through thousands of years of history in the Birklands part of Sherwood Forest. Click on the logo to visit the site >
Shetland and Orkney are hosting a joint partner meeting of the
Northern Periphery Programme THING project (Thing Sites International
Networking Group) next week.
Things are the assembly sites spread across north-west Europe as a
result of the Viking diaspora and Norse settlements. Last June the
project secured funding to connect and interpret a network of these
sites throughout the Viking world, of which around 250,000 euros will
come to Shetland and Orkney.
With partners in Shetland, Orkney,
Norway, Iceland, Faroe, Highland Scotland and the Isle of Man, the
three-year project aims to exchange knowledge, exploit opportunities and
develop sustainable management and business development at the Northern
European thing sites.
One major aspect of the project is to explore the possibility of a
trans-national World Heritage nomination, expanding on Iceland’s
existing World Heritage Site Thingvellir.
Sarah Jane Gibbon, a lecturer in the Department of Archaeology at
Orkney College, said: “The thing sites form part of our shared North
European past and are physical representations of a once, and still,
commonly-held perception of governance and justice.
“One of the most exciting aspects of this project is having the
opportunity to share our knowledge with other partner regions enabling
us to better understand and promote our own local thing sites.”
Project partners meet twice a year and the islands are honoured to be
hosting the second ever meeting.
Taking place from Thursday 15th to
Sunday 18th April, the meeting will not only enable partners to update
and discuss the project but expand their knowledge of thing sites,
through site visits, workshops, presentations and public lectures.
Delegates will spend their first two days in Shetland and the other
two in Orkney, allowing them to compare things in both island groups and
meet Alexandra Sanmark (Orkney College, UHI), John Baker (University of
Nottingham) and Stuart Brookes (University College London),
representatives of two further research projects studying assembly
sites.
Shetland Amenity Trust place names officer Eileen Brooke Freeman
said: “We can identify many of the assembly sites throughout areas of
Scandinavian influence by their common ting, thing, ding and fing place
names. Examples include Gulating (Norway), Þingvellir (Iceland),
Tinganes (Faroe), Tingwall (Shetland and Orkney), Dingwall (Highland),
Tynwald (Isle of Man).
“This project enables us to develop a much greater understanding and
vastly increase our knowledge of where and why this system of justice
was practised through studying historical and oral accounts,
archaeological and place name evidence, and by comparing sites in
partner regions.”
Two members of The Friends of Thynghowe, Stuart Reddish and Lynda Mallet have been invited to attend the conference. Stuart and Lynda rediscovered the Viking site in the Birklands part of Sherwood Forest using old maps and archive documents. They are now very excited by the prospect of the site becoming part of a future world heritage site. Stuart Reddish commented "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Sherwood Forest's Viking History. Whilst not being part of the funded part of the European Project for the Northern Periphery, to be included in the Thing Network, is a great boost for The Friends of Thynghowe".
Photographs from the conference will be included in next months edition of SHERWOODFOREST.INFO
We are at present involved with number of projects that focus on
aspects of Cultural Tourism and Heritage Interpretation. Since our work on the discovery of Thynghowe, a Viking Thyng or Thing site, in Sherwood Forest England we
have been interested in how significant woodland sites can be
researched and better understood. Working in partnership with Sheffield
Hallam University and The Forestry Commission we have been making some
progress but there is much more to do.
The medieval parliamentary
assembly sites, the Thing Sites, could be regarded as the cradle of
democracy in Europe. They were the first attempts to share power, to
establish legislative and executive procedures in society and to
adopt civil rights for the individual. These sites represent values
such as freedom of speech and democracy. In some respects these
values are under pressure in today’s world. It is therefore
important to connect the history of the Thing Sites to conflict
resolution issues today, and to pass on the values of the sites as
the cradle of democracy.
“Cultural
heritage is an important resource in local communities. It is part of
our cultural identity; it gives us something to take pride in, it
gives us confidence that we possess a legacy that matters to our
national narratives. The promotion of the
thing sites as birthplace of modern democracy in Northern Europe
could benefit our region in many ways. There
is a trend that people want genuine qualities in peaceful
surroundings. Most thing sites, I believe,
should represent such unique qualities. Tourism
is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Cultural
tourism can help vitalize local communities by
generating jobs, and boosting local economies”. Opening
address by Heidi Grande Røys, Nordic Co-operation Minister and
Minister of Government Administration and Reform, at the Gulating
Summer Seminar, 23 June 2008
There are opportunities to be seized for the benefit of Sherwood Forest and its communities so we hope our Thynghowe site can become a major feature of our local heritage. We now have a special place on our site called VIKINGS of SHERWOOD and we will update it as new information is a acquired.
In the meantime if you would like more general information on the Vikings please visit VIKINGLANDSCAPE.COM by clicking HERE
Look out for our County Council FREE leaflet of walks in the area.
You may want to check out this walk : The Robin Hood Way was initially planned by members of the Nottingham Wayfarers’
Rambling Club, specifically Roland Price and Alec Hickton, in commemoration of it’s
Golden Jubilee in 1982, from an idea by Chris Thompson,
The original route of 84 miles from Nottingham Castle to Edwinstowe Church was opened
in 1985 with the intention of linking all the places in Nottinghamshire with connections
to the legend of Robin Hood. However these are well scattered around the County so
since there are also several Country Parks and other interesting places it seemed
obvious to include them in order to add to the appeal of the Way.
At this site we provide information regarding the features and events in and around Sherwood Forest connected with its history, archaeology, woodland events and new woodland walks. We are also presenting a view of the working woodlands in the area. In these changing times it is important that woodlands are portrayed as vibrant healthy places both for people and the trees. That means trees have to be part of a bio diverse landscape. Harvesting trees is as important to evolving habitat as is planting trees. For us to have ancient trees we must protect the ones we have and plan for new ones in the future. The emphasis of our website is on The Real Sherwood Forest, full of life, a place to celebrate.This site will certainly be of interest to you if you wish to experience the real distinctive history and scenery of the Sherwood Forest area in addition to the usual legendary visitor attractions.
We have now gathered together a collection of photographs of working woodlands and will be adding them to the site over the next few weeks.
Also take a look at our
newly discovered original photographs of Clumber Park House and Gardens
taken in 1896. An example is shown below. Click on the bow and arrow to open the article.
THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM OFFICIALLY OPENING THE THYNGHOWE TRAIL IN HIS HISTORIC AND LEGENDARY ROLE AS 'ENSURER OF THE SAFETY OF ROUTES THROUGH THE FOREST OF SHERWOOD' on Saturday 25th April 2009.
The Sheriff's traditional role back
through the mists of time was to “ensure a safe route through
Sherwood Forest”. In the 'olden days' this was for the wealthy
merchants and barons but today he helped the Friends of Thynghowe
launch and publicise the Thynghowe Trail.
The Thynghowe Trail leads through
Birklands from the Windmill on Peafield Lane to Netherfield Lane,
Gleadthorpe, Budby. It is three miles long.
Trail posts lettered A – Q mark
places and features of interest and a leaflet explains and describes
those fascinating features to the walker. The leaflet can be obtained
free from any local library, visitor centre, and the Forestry
Commission.
The Sheriff and Margaret Woodhead –
well known local historian and Chair of Friends of Thynghowe were
photographed on the top of Hanger Hill – along with Stuart Reddish who with his wife Lynda Mallett rediscovered the site of Thynghowe.
Newark Castle, in 
The Castle rises picturesquely from the river, and from its position and
great strength was for a long time known as the 'Key of the North'.
Of the original 
Since the release of the Robin Hood film at the start of last month we have had some questions about the use of longbows and the use of the Yew Tree with its long history in the folklore of the English countryside. This is one subject that fits very well in the history of Sherwood Forest but a subject that here at sherwoodforest.info we only know the historical facts of battles longbows triumphed in. So we have selected three approaches. The first link is to a site that has spent many hours pulling together (pardon the pun) all sorts of information about longbow archery. The second site is the site of the professional and the ancient traditions and craftsmanship. The third site is Youtube and a range of film clips on the use of the longbow and the many people who enjoy the special sport longbow archery provides. We hope you all find the answers you are looking for.
Lyndhurst Forest Mansfield
Soon to be released on Video?
Shetland Isles to play host to meeting of Viking Assemblies project
Look out for our County Council FREE leaflet of walks in the area.
Birklands
