The Friends of Thynghowe

The summit of Thynghowe, photograph from Friends of Thynghowe Group.
 © Steve Horne and The Friends of Thynghowe

In the heart of medieval Sherwood Forest on the edge of the ancient crown woodland of Birklands is a hill and mound marking the boundary of 3 parishes.

This hill is now called Hanger Hill, but its ancient name was Thynghowe.

The name of the site indicates its former use as a meeting site either for the parishes upon which it bounds, or for a wider regional scale.

The derivation of Thynghowe is þing haugr, meaning ‘hill of assembly or meeting place’. (EPNS 1940). “þ” is the Saxon letter thorn pronounced “th”. 

The site could have very ancient origins indeed. The name is of Viking origin, and the site may have occupied an older mound still. 

Thynghowe sits in a remote location that could have been an important meeting point way back into pre-history.

The site was rediscovered by Lynda Mallett, Stuart Reddish and John Wood using a perambulation document from 1816.

Work by the Friends of Thynghowe Group in Sherwood Forest is currently being undertaken. Please check out their work and follow their work on http://www.facebook.com/Thynghowe

They arealways looking for interested people and volunteers to join in with their archaeoloigcal fieldwork and historical research.

Please see their website for more information: Friends of Thynghowe group.