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Robin Hood Award Activities are listed on the Phoenix and Aries websites - please use the tabs above.
Welcome to the Robin Hood Award
Stories and legends about Robin Hood are popular around the world, especially the USA and in Europe, so this award offers an opportunity for Radio Amateurs to share their interest in these tales - and the "real"  history - on air.

The Robin Hood Award is an 'self-service award' for Radio Amateurs who make radio contacts into, or out of,  Robin Hood Country' in Northern England.  All Radio Amateurs can participate, and the award is totally self-regulated by participants.

 The Award has two categories: 'Chasers' and 'Activators'.  The award is free and the rules are not complicated.  New award levels were added in January 2018 response to demand, and include Special Awards which will be offered periodically.

Just 4 contacts are needed to claim the first main awards - more details > here <.

Robin Hood Country covers a very large part of Northern England according to both the original ballads (called 'gestes') and the historical context of  anti-royal and anti-monastic dissent in the early Middle Ages.

Please see the map (here) for the area covered. There are also places with Robin Hood associations - including street and 'pub' names to townships, hills and caves - all around Britain and other parts of the world: most can qualify.

The rules are quite simple - mainly common sense applies.

Background

It is most probable that the original Robin Hood was a fictional character, and the tales are almost certainly based on an the exploits of several outlaws roaming Northern England in the 13th Century .
Many of the stories (compiled centuries later) place Robin Hood's activities in south Yorkshire and north Nottinghamshire, and there are strong - if controversial -  claims for him being a Yorkshireman.

For a little more 'history go to the Resources Page.

Many places named in the tales do exist, although many lie outside Sherwood Forest. Indeed, Robin Hood was known to have visited many other parts of the world, notably Hollywood, CA., and was eventually buried in the USA by the Disney Corporation in 1973.

A list of Notable Robin Hood Locations (with WAB/National Grid 10km Squares) can be found at the bottom of this page.  There are links to more sources of information on the Resources page.  Please note: these are suggestions not activations.


Definition of 'Robin Hood Country'

It is now generally accepted that Robin Hood was a Yorkshireman rather than from Nottingham, and the earliest ballads describe places spread far and wide across Northern England well beyond the bounds of Sherwood Forest.  The 'North Country' of England and the adjoining Scottish Borders were places where outlaws flourished. But they were also places far from the King's authority and where the King and the monasteries owned vast 'private' estates. These were all causes for resentment, and many of the North Country folk tales and songs have similar themes to the Robin Hood Legends.

There are many specific locations closely associated with Robin Hood  and mentioned in the early ballads and 'gestes'.  So, we can 'define' the areas which qualify for the Robin Hood Award quite widely. This map covers the area in which the RHA will operate (click for the full size view).


The areas included are: The Peak District; Nottinghamshire; most of Yorkshire; Derbyshire; Sherwood Forest; Charnwood Forest; the Forest of Bowland; Yorkshire Dales; North York Moors.

Many places in theses areas feature in the early Robin Hood ballads and tales, although the later romanticised stories (books, comics, cartoons and films) only focus on Nottingham and Sherwood Forest.


There are also many named localities associated with Robin Hood in other parts of the UK and even elsewhere in the world: these too qualify for the award.

The Sherwood Forest connection

This map, designed for Robin Hood fans, shows many of the places in Sherwood Forest which appear  in tales about Robin Hood.
Sherwood Forest Adventurer's Map
The Jury's Inn Map of Sherwood Forest
Click on the map to go to a fully-featured 'Jury's Inn' website about Robin Hood Country (open is a new window).



Some Notable Robin Hood Locations

There are many other places that may have associations with Robin Hood.
Place County NGR (BNGR) WAB 10km Square
 Location & notes Access & Permissions
Budby Castle Nottinghamshire SK 620 699 SK66 4km NW of Ollerton Private. Permission always required
Centre Tree Nottinghamshire SK 606 675 SK66 Sherwood Forest Country Park Permission required
Clumber Park Chapel Nottinghamshire SK 626 746 SK67 Near the visitor centre National Trust; permission required except for /M maybe
Creswell Crags Derbyshire SK 533 743 SK57 Creswell Crags Visitor Centre Opening times and charges apply
Cross of St Edwin’s Nottinghamshire SK 592 666 SK56 At edge of Sherwood Forest Country Park Footpath. 370m from road
Druid Stone Nottinghamshire SK 577 560 SK55 1km W of Blidworth Footpath. 360m N of A6020 on footpath and parish boundary
Friar Tuck’s Well, Fountain Dale Nottinghamshire SK 564 566 SK55 Fountaindale, 3km W of Blidworth. Near to footpath (581m from road)
Greasley Castle Nottinghamshire SK 493 469 SK44 Lost village' and few remains. Private land (not accessible). Roadside has wide verges
King John’s Palace Nottinghamshire SK 603 647 SK66
 Kings Clipstone 8km NE Mansfield 100m E of village centre. Permission required
Kirklees Priory Sout Yorkshire SE 170 222 SE12 Private estate, with rems of the priory Permission essential
Little John's Grave Derbyshire SK 233 818 SK28 Hathersage Church, Camp Green not known
Major Oak Nottinghamshire SK 620 679 SK66 Sherwood Forest Country Park Permission required
Mompesson’s Cross Nottinghamshire SK 675 622 SK66 Eakring village centre not known
Nottingham Castle Nottinghamshire SK 570 394 SK53 City centre Permission always required
Parliament Oak Nottinghamshire SK 575 659 SK56 Layby not known
Robin Hood (hamlet) Derbyshire SK 280 721 SK27 2km E of Baslow (A619) not known
Robin Hood (hamlet) Lancashire SD 520 114 SD51 2km N of Appley Bridge. not known
Robin Hood (remote hill) Cumbria NY 530 059 NY50 Shap Fell not known
Robin Hood (village) West Yorkshire. SE 325 275 SE32 1km SW Rothley (A654) not known
Robin Hood & Little John Cambridgeshire TL 137 983 TL19 Castor, W of Peterborough not known
Robin Hood Airport South Yorkshire

Does not count not known
Robin Hood Hill Nottinghamshire SK 634 534 SK65 Near Oxton
 Private land, no entry. Alternative: Rough Wood roadside SK 635 541 or on footpath
Robin Hood's Arbour Berkshire. SU 851 810 SU88 Maidenhead Thicket. 4km W of Maidenhead (A4) not known
Robin Hood's Ball Wiltshire SU 102 460 SU14 3km WNW of Larkhill Near byways. Military Ranges nearby
Robin Hood's Butts Shropshire SO 430 964 SO49 3km W of Church Stretton Roadside
Robin Hood's Cave Nottinghamshire SK 665 708 SK67 1km W of Walesby Footpath (600m) from road at SK 665 702
Robin Hood's Cave Derbyshire SK 243 835 SK28 Stanage Edge Footpath. Roadside parking 1km S.
Robin Hood's Cave Nottinghamshire SK 514 546 SK55 See Robin Hood's Hills Permission required
Robin Hood's Cross Derbyshire SK 186 802 SK18 1km WNW of Abney Unmade road
Robin Hood's Grave Somerset ST 230 143 ST21 Blackdown Hills (B3170) Adjacent to road
Robin Hood's Grave West Yorkshire SE 174 215 SE12 3km NW of Mirfield (A644). 100m NE of road Private land, permission essential.
Robin Hood's Hills Nottinghamshire SK 516 547 SK55 1km N of Annesley (A611) Permission required
Robin Hood's Picking Rods Lancashire / Derbyshire SK 008 909 SK09 Remote hills Footpaths (road c.2km)
Robin Hood's Stride Derbyshire SK 225 620 SK26 1.5km W of Birchover (A5056) Footpath (or road 320m)
Robin Hood's Well Nottinghamshire SK 496 491 SK44 1.5km NW of Moorgreen (B600) near Beauvale Priory (ruin). Private land. Alternative may be SK 497 489 (roadside – 100m)
Robin Hood's Well & Little John's Well Derbyshire SK 266 799 & SK 265 794 SK27 Longshaw Estate, National Trust Permission essential. Alternative c.SK 268 794 (roadside - 300m)
Robin Hood’s Whetstone Nottinghamshire SK54 57 Approx SK55 Location somewhere on busy A60 at Thieves Wood not known
Rufford Abbey Nottinghamshire SK 644 647 SK66 Rufford Country Park Permission required
Southwell Minster Nottinghamshire SK 702 538 SK75 Busy town centre Try the Memorial Gardens very close by
St Mary’s Church Nottinghamshire SK 625 668 SK66 Edwinstowe not known
Steetley Chapel Nottinghamshire SK 543 787 SK57 Pull-in from side road off A619. 4km W of Worksop not known
The ‘Murder’ Stone Nottinghamshire SK54 57 Approx SK55 Location somewhere on busy A60 Thieves Wood not known
The Forester’s Tomb Nottinghamshire SK 546 515 SK55 St James' Churchyard, Papplewick Difficult access. Permission may be required
Thieves Wood Nottinghamshire SK 545 571 SK55 4km S of Mansfield Permission may be required
Will Scarlett’s Grave Nottinghamshire SK 585 556 SK55 St Mary's Churchyard, Blidworth not known


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Robin Hood Award is operated by the Phoenix ARC in the UK