Robin Hood – The Maps

 

This page reproduces the maps that were originally intended for inclusion in print editions but had to be omitted for technical reasons and were replaced by (equally useful) maps by Rob Davis.

 

Robin Hood: King of Sherwood actually starts in the wild northern forest of Barnsdale, Yorkshire (although some would argue that Sherwood refers to the whole tract of woodland that ran along the whole west of England in the twelfth century). The main route through from London is the Great North Road, or Ermine Street. West of the road is heavy woodland over ever-steeper hills, as the land rises to the Pennine Mountains. Hundreds of small villages huddle in the valleys, each a manor belonging to some local lord or to the church.

 

The Fitzwarren caravan travels from Doncaster and branches west to Darfield where Lady Matilda encounters a bold miller’s boy. The bandit assault occurs only a mile or two later on. The kidnapped lady’s travels take her deep into Barnsdale forest before she ends up discovering the little settlements in the centre of our map. Her expected destination, Kirklees Priory, is on the very north-western edge of the map. Our heroine’s actual finishing point in this volume is at Elmsall by the Minsthorpe Woods.

 

Robin Hood: Arrow of Justice takes Robin and his merry men to their better known haunts in southern Sherwood. Tradition places them at the Major Oak, a huge tree near Edwinstowe; the tree standing there today is designated part of England’s national heritage. Much action in this volume takes place in Nottingham at the bottom of our map, and York at the top. In 1190 York was the largest settlement in England except London, seat of the powerful Archbishop Geoffrey. Nottingham was a town built around the military fortress held by its Sheriff.

 

Robin’s tricks are plied in the villages north of Nottingham, small hamlets in clearings cut in the all-encompassing greenwood. Each village has a steward, overseeing things for the lord of the manor, and a reeve, elected by the villeins to organise them in their work. The whole economy is based around feudal service, including a complex tax system and enforced labour. No wonder Robin Hood so quickly wins the hearts of the smallfolk in the depths of Sherwood!

 

The Lambert family estates at Loughborough (pronounced Luffburra) lie to the south of Nottingham, a little way off the map. Sir Richard Fitzwarren’s Verysdale manor appears in the very northwest corner.


 

 

In Robin Hood: Forbidden Legend's "Maiden in the Tower" story we see Robin and his merry men visit Old London Town. The following map represents a likely layout for the city as it was at the time of Prince John's capture of it.



The tidal Thames flows from east to west, with the old walled city of London to the north of the river. The Tower protects the city from approach from the sea and occupies one corner of the adapted Roman fortifications. Sites closer to the river are less salubrious; the nobles and merchants have their townhouses and mansions in the better parts around Guildhall and St Pauls. There is still room for rich and esxtensice private estates within the upper parts of the city by Cripplegate, Moorgate and Bishopsgate.


The tidal Thames flows from east to west, with the old walled city of London to the north of the river. The Tower protects the city from approach from the sea and occupies one corner of the adapted Roman fortifications. Sites closer to the river are less salubrious; the nobles and merchants have their townhouses and mansions in the better parts around Guildhall and St Pauls. There is still room for rich and esxtensice private estates within the upper parts of the city by Cripplegate, Moorgate and Bishopsgate.


"The Slavers of Whitby" brings Robin north of his usual haunts, to the high moors of the North Riding of Yorkshire and the wild North Sea coast. This map illustrates the area between the town of Whitby, controlled by its powerful Abbess, and the jet-rich cliffs of Fylingthorpe. Although the map labels Robin Hood's Bay, that name comes after our story - for reasons that may becomne evident.

 

 

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