A teacher claims to have found the birthplace of Robin Hood – and it would make him a Yorkshireman.
Dan Eaton believed that an ancient marker rock and carved cross, he found in the Sheffield school’s playground, mark the spot where the legendary folk hero was conceived.
His revelation is made in his book, Reclaiming Robin Hood, which is sponsored by Sheffield Council as part of a campaign to ‘bring Robin home’.
Hallamshire – an old name for Sheffield – was mentioned in medieval legend as Robin’s birthplace. Old records also indicate that Robin of Loxley (an outlaw) was born at Little Haggas Croft in Loxley around 1160.
There are now calls for a statue depicting Robin as a young boy to be built in the suburb as part of Sheffield’s increasingly popular Robin Hood tourist trail
Co-author Dr David Clarke, of Sheffield Hallam University, said: ‘Loxley, in Hallamshire, was identified as Robin’s birthplace in two historical sources that date from the early 17th century.’
There are now calls for a statue depicting Robin as a young boy to be built in the suburb as part of Sheffield’s increasingly popular Robin Hood tourist trail.
But the book hasn’t gone down well in Nottingham, which has long claimed the outlaw as its own.
Current Sheriff of Nottingham Merlita Bryan said: ‘Robin Hood is as much from Sheffield as Jarvis Cocker is from Nottingham. Everyone knows his arch rival wasn’t the Sheriff of Sheffield.’
Dan Eaton thinks an old marker stone and cross that he found behind Loxley Primary School’s Sheffield playground marks the place where legendary folk hero was birthed.
She added: ‘We get it – Yorkshire wants a piece of the legendary action.
‘We’ve had similar claims from Kent, Wales and elsewhere before, but really everyone knows that he was from Nottingham.
‘But we’re always happy for others to help spread the word about the world’s favourite outlaw.’
The outlaw was also believed to have died around 1247AD, after fleeing Sherwood Forest in order to receive healing from nuns at Kirklees Priory.
The Prioress was the mistress of one of Robin’s enemies and is said to have slashed open one of his veins while pretending to treat him.