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Sherwood
Sherwood Forest, stretch of hilly country, Nottinghamshire, central
England, lying between Nottingham and Worksop, extending about 32 km
(about 20 mi) from north to south and 8 to 14 km (5 to 9 mi) from
east to west. It was formerly a royal forest and is associated in
tradition with the legendary English outlaw Robin Hood. Of the
original forest, only a few wooded areas remain. About 5060 hectares
(about 12,500 acres), mostly of pine, are now under national
ownership.
Robin Hood, hero of a group of English ballads of the late 14th or
early 15th century. Robin Hood was portrayed as an outlaw who lived
and poached in the royal forests of Sherwood, in Nottinghamshire,
and Barnsdale, in Yorkshire. He robbed and killed those who
represented the power of the government and the church and he
championed the cause of the needy and oppressed. His band of
comrades included Little John, Will Scarlet, and Friar Tuck.
Although scholars disagree as to whether Robin Hood is a historical
figure, the original ballads contain valuable information on the
ideas and social conditions of medieval England. Robin Hood
frequently reappears in the works of later writers, and in the 20th
century he has been romanticized in numerous children's books,
operettas, dramas, films, and television programs.
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