World Wide Robin Hood Society Award to the Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project and Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

We are extremely proud to announce that:

The Sherwood Forest Archaeology and History Project and Mercian Archaeological Services CIC have won an award from the World-Wide Robin Hood Society for "Engaging people in the heritage, history & archaeology of Sherwood Forest".

Picture: Andy Gaunt, Director, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC (right), and  Robin Hood (Ade Andrews) aka Ezekial Bone (left) receiving awards from  Bob White, Chairman of the World-wide Robin Hood Society (centre).

The "Feather in Your Cap" Awardpresented to Mercian recognises the hard work, expertise and dedication we have put in over the years to investigating, interpreting and promoting the heritage of our world famous #SherwoodForest and King John's Palace.

We also received the award alongside our dear friend the one and only Mr Robin Hood himself Ezekial Bone, aka Ade Andrews- who received a special award for his long term dedication to promoting Robin Hood to the world!

Well done Ade and well done us!

Thank you to the World-Wide #RobinHood Society for your recognition, to Chairman Bob White for presenting the award to Andy Gaunt Mercian Archin front of the statue of our iconic hero outside Nottingham Castle,

...and thank you to everyone for your continued support!!

For more information see the project homepage at: http://mercian-as.co.uk/sherwoodforest.html

and on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/sherwoodforesthistory

Picture: Andy Gaunt, Director, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC (right), and  Robin Hood (Ade Andrews) aka Ezekial Bone (left) receiving awards from  Bob White, Chairman of the World-wide Robin Hood Society (centre).

Picture: Andy Gaunt, Director, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC (left), and Sean Crossley, Driector, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC (right) receiving award from  Bob White, Chairman of the World-wide Robin Hood Society (centre).

Picture: Andy Gaunt, Director, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC (right), receiving award from  Bob White, Chairman of the World-wide Robin Hood Society (left).

The Sherwood Forest Artchaeology Project 5000 Facebook likes!

We now have over 5,000 Facbeook LIKES for the Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project!!! Archaeology and History of Medieval Sherwood Forest

Thank you to everyone for supporting the project and following us on Facebook!

This is one of our best mediums we have for sharing the work of the project, promoting the heritage of Sherwood Forest, and the work we and many others do in the Forest.

Please see the project website: http://www.mercian-as.co.uk/sherwoodforest.html for information on projects and how you can get involved...

Please see our crowdfunding page:http://www.gofundme.com/sherwoodforest for how you c an support the project and enable others to become involved.

We are proud to announce our upcoming volunteer test pitting dig in Edwinstowe village: Robin Hood's Village Dig 2014!

Http://www.mercian-as.co.uk/robinhood.html

We also have guided tours coming up in Sherwood Forest this summer:

http://www.mercian-as.co.uk/tours.html

Again we would like to say a big thank you and a warm welcome to 

"The Future of Sherwood's Past!!"

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project at the Mercian Archaeological Services Spring Conference 2014

East Midlands Community Archaeology Conference 2014

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC held their first Spring Conference on the 5th April 2014 at the University of Nottingham Archaeology Museum.

Andy Gaunt of Mercian Archaeological Services CIC presenting The Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project at the East Midlands Community Archaeology Conference 2014

This one day conference featured some of the best work undertaken by local Community Archaeology companies, groups and individuals from around the region.

Community Archaeology has come of age in recent times and heritage groups and volunteers are now setting incredible standards in archaeological research.

Community Archaeology is now a fully fledged branch of archaeology and there are also now a whole range of dedicated professionals who are full time Community Archaeology Providers.

There has been a sea-change in provision of services to Community groups in recent years with a move away from large commercial companies providing work on the side, and when funding was available - to full-time community archaeology providers and companies like Mercian Archaeological Services CIC who are dedicated to providing support to volunteers and groups.

Mercian’s first “East Midlands Community Archaeology Conference” reflected this change, with volunteers, groups and professional community archaeologists presenting their results and theories in a lively and informal way.

Many of the old barriers felt broken down as people talked, networked and enthused with other like-minded people.

It was a great day for idea sharing and project discussions, and much was learned through the course of the day about the excellent work being undertaken across the region.

There was also lively debate and networking during the refreshment breaks and in the museum.



Here is what some of the delegates had to say about the day:



“Thanks for one of the best conferences I have ever been to, and I have been to a few I can tell you…” - Richard Smith


“Fantastic, enjoyable and informative - real archaeology from the people who love it! Well done to you all” - Chris Rawson


 “Thank you ALL so much. I met so many super-interesting new people today! Great to see so many old faces as well. Thanks for having me on the bill, hope to keep up to date with everyone else's projects for a long time to come as well”. - James Wright


 “Absolutely brilliant day thanks Mercians for bringing together such a totally amazing group of speakers. Loved every bit” - Lorraine Dowen



“Excellent day and thanks to all the Mercian crowd for giving us the opportunity to talk about our projects” - Richard Tyndall


This one day conference featured some of the best work undertaken by local Community Archaeology companies, groups and individuals from around the region.

Community Archaeology has come of age in recent times and heritage groups and volunteers are now setting incredible standards in archaeological research.

Community Archaeology is now a fully fledged branch of archaeology and there are also now a whole range of dedicated professionals who are full time Community Archaeology Providers.





Community Archaeology in the East Midlands Conference 2014

Mercian Archaeological Services Community Archaeology
Visitors since 7th November 2013

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Community Archaeology in the East Midlands,

 Community Archaeology Nottinghamshire, Excavation, Research, Volunteering, Community

    Archaeology Derbyshire, Training, Social, Learning, Community Archaeology Leicestershire,

    Heritage, Involvement, Belonging, Knowledge sharing, Community Archaeology Lincolnshire,

    Topographic Survey, Talks and Presentations, Outreach, Archaeology Projects , Open

    Days, Schools, Finds Processing, Day Schools, Field Schools, Young People, Archaeology

    and History of Sherwood Forest, Pottery Research, Medieval, Roman, Prehistoric, Community

    Interest Company, Community Archaeology Nottinghamshire.

© Mercian Archaeological Services CIC 2013.                           Registered Business No. 08347842.                                All Rights Reserved.

Community Archaeology in Nottinghamshire

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Community Archaeology in Leicestershire

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 Archaeology Field School
Mercian Archaeological Services CIC held our first Spring Conference on the 5th April 2014 at the University of Nottingham Archaeology Museum.

The conference was very well attended, showing the great enthusiasm and appetite for community outreach and knowledge sharing in archaeology, and showcased work by the following speakers:

Tim Yarnell, The Forestry Commissions Archaeologist for England - Introductions

Stuart Reddish - the Friends of Thynghowe, Nottinghamshire

Sue Brown and Janet Spavold of the Ticknall Archaeological research Group, Derbyshire

John Lock -the Burgage Earthworks project in Southwell, Nottinghamshire

James Wright - the Archaeology and History of kings Clipstone Project, Nottinghamshire

Jim Priest, Volunteer Archaeologist, Sherwood Archaeology Society, Nottinghamshire

Richard Tyndall - Archaeology in Ancaster, Lincolnshire

Christine Rawson and Alex Sotheran of Elmet Archaeological Services Ltd. South Yorkshire

Daryl Garton - the Ice Age Journeys, Farndon, Nottinghamshire

Andy Gaunt of Mercian Archaeological Services CIC- the Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project, Nottinghamshire.

















There has been a sea-change in provision of services to Community groups in recent years with a move away from large commercial companies providing work on the side, and when funding was available - to full-time community archaeology providers and companies like Mercian Archaeological Services CIC who are dedicated to providing support to volunteers and groups.

Mercian’s first “East Midlands Community Archaeology Conference” reflected this change, with volunteers, groups and professional community archaeologists presenting their results and theories in a lively and informal way.

Many of the old barriers felt broken down as people talked, networked and enthused with other like-minded people.

It was a great day for idea sharing and project discussions, and much was learned through the course of the day about the excellent work being undertaken across the region.

There was also lively debate and networking during the refreshment breaks and in the museum.


Here is what some of the delegates had to say about the day:



“Thanks for one of the best conferences I have ever been to, and I have been to a few I can tell you…” - Richard Smith


“Fantastic, enjoyable and informative - real archaeology from the people who love it! Well done to you all” - Chris Rawson


 “Thank you ALL so much. I met so many super-interesting new people today! Great to see so many old faces as well. Thanks for having me on the bill, hope to keep up to date with everyone else's projects for a long time to come as well”. - James Wright


 “Absolutely brilliant day thanks Mercians for bringing together such a totally amazing group of speakers. Loved every bit” - Lorraine Dowen


“Excellent day and thanks to all the Mercian crowd for giving us the opportunity to talk about our projects” - Richard Tyndall



The conference was very well attended, showing the great enthusiasm and appetite for community outreach and knowledge sharing in archaeology, and showcased work by the following speakers:

Tim Yarnell, The Forestry Commissions Archaeologist for England - Introductions

Stuart Reddish - the Friends of Thynghowe, Nottinghamshire

Sue Brown and Janet Spavold of the Ticknall Archaeological research Group, Derbyshire

John Lock -the Burgage Earthworks project in Southwell, Nottinghamshire

James Wright - the Archaeology and History of kings Clipstone Project, Nottinghamshire

Jim Priest, Volunteer Archaeologist, Sherwood Archaeology Society, Nottinghamshire

Richard Tyndall - Archaeology in Ancaster, Lincolnshire

Christine Rawson and Alex Sotheran of Elmet Archaeological Services Ltd. South Yorkshire

Daryl Garton - the Ice Age Journeys, Farndon, Nottinghamshire


Andy Gaunt of Mercian Archaeological Services CIC- the Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project, Nottinghamshire.


Please also have a look at this excellent review of the day by Lynda Mallett via the Sherwood Heritage blog:


http://sherwoodheritage.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/east-midlands-community-archaeology.html

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Sherwood Forest in the 'Current Archaeology' Magazine

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC are very proud to be in the February edition of Current Archaeology Magazine- the UK's best selling Archaeology magazine... Page 11 Issue 287... 'Hunting King John's Palace in Sherwood Forest'... covering some of our work for the Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project.

Not bad eh?

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC Newsletter

Welcome to 'East Midlands Community Archaeology News'

The first edition of Mercian Archaeological Services CIC's Newsletter.

http://www.academia.edu/4742013/East_Midlands_Community_Archaeology_News_Issue_1_Autumn_2013

In this edition we showcase some of our ongoing projects and work.

The newsletter forms part of our community archaeology outreach through which we aim to disseminate our work to the widest possible audience.

Learn about: Archaeology and History of Medieval Sherwood Forest, including the excavations at King John's Palace and the community archaeology projects at Kings Clipstone in Sherwood Forest; The Heath End Excavation with Targ Archaeology; Surveying withCodnor Castle Heritage Trust; Burton Road excavations in Ticknall; The Hilton village Project with Dove Valley Community Archaeology and much much more...

and a special spotlight on the work done by The Friends of Thynghowe...

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Community Archaeology at King John's Palace, Sherwood Forest with Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC recently returned to Kings Clipstone to continue the King John's Palace Project. The project is researching and investigating the Archaeology of the site of the Royal Hunting Lodge and Palace that formed the Heart of Medieval Sherwood Forest.

This Community Archaeology Project saw volunteers digging test pits and undertaking a topographic survey of Castle Field.

The King John's Palace Community Archaeology Project 2013.

Test pits were located to further understand the layout of the Palace and surrounding landscape- the pits examined the area to the west of the Medieval ditch and bank excavated in the summer of 2012.

The medieval ditch and bank represent the boundary of the site in the 13th-14th century as proven by the 201 excavation.

The test pits excavated in the project are located in the demense part of the Waterfield, and the evidence uncovered further supports the boundary ditch as the furthest extent of the site. 

Picture: the ruins of King John's Palace in the heart of Sherwood Forest by Andy Gaunt, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

The royal palace now known as King John's Palace was the centre for crown activities in Sherwood Forest until the end of the 14th century, with all the Plantagenet Kings from Henry II to Richard II staying there. It was built to accommodate the crown during visits to the forest, where hunting would take place in the royal park adjacent.

The report for the boundary ditch excavation will be available to download via Mercian's document stores very soon.

Medieval Boundary Ditch Excavation 2012

The topographic survey of the site undertaken in August 2013 has helped to show a number of discrete features such as banks and terraces which will further aid in the understanding of the site- 3D results will be available through this site shortly.

Alongside the King John's Palace Project, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC also undertook the recent Kings Clipstone Village Community Archaeology Project which looked at the development of the village in relation to the palace in Medieval times.

A building survey of 2 cottages in the village and discovered medieval walls which formed part of the great gateway to the palace in Medieval times.

It is hoped that a number of publications will follow in the coming year which bring together all of the corpus of work undertaken in the village and at the palace to date, including extensive work looking at the landscape of the lordship and forest.

There will be more Community Archaeology in Nottinghamshire coming very soon, with plenty of opportunities to get involved- watch this space for more information...

For more info follow www.mercian-as.co.uk/news.html and www.facebook.com/MercianArch and for Mercian's Community Archaeology photographs follow the http://www.mercian-as.co.uk/gallery.html page,

The King John's Palace Project, the Archaeology and History of Medieval Sherwood Forest Website, Archaeology and History of Medieval Sherwood Forest page and the Kings Clipstone Village Community Archaeology Project are all part of Mercian Archaeological Services CIC 'Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project'- more details soon.

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Rufford Abbey and the White Monks of Sherwood Forest

Rufford Abbey was founded by Gilbert de Gant in 1146.

Picture: Mercian Archaeological Services CIC, Groin-vaulted Rufford Abbey Undercroft

The charter confirming the foundation was granted by King Stephen on Christmas day of that year.

Rufford was a Cisterican Monastery, a daughter house of Riveaulx Abbey in Yorkshire.

The abbey was situated just to the West of the King's Highway to York which passed from Nottingham northwards through Sherwood Forest, and the Abbey was an attractive stop-over for weary travellers on the long road through the forest.

The Abbey sat towards the northern edge of a vast tract of heathland, meadow, woodland and farmland consolidated from the possessions of the villages of Rufford, Crately, and Inkersall, granted to the Abbey. Rufford village had 8 families when the monks arrived, but was abandoned by the end of the Thirteenth Century. Crately was slower to become deserted, but villagers eventually moved to settle in nearby Edwinstowe and the village of Wellow (see Rufford Charters entry for information about the grants of lands and the Charters recording them).

The Church of the Abbey was dedicated to St Mary, and was built in the remote wastes and woods of Sherwood by the Cistercians, who favoured the isolation and separation from the world provided by the forest.

The Abbey complex included the Church, Cellar, Lay Brothers Frater, Cloister, Kitchens, Monks Frater, Warming House, Undercroft and Dormitory above, Inner Parlour, Chapter House, and Sacristy.

The surrounding landscape included areas of Woodland: 'ye abote wode', 'Abott Ymmslow', and 'burne abotote wode'. There were also large areas of heather lyngges, or wastes known as 'the Forest'. The valley of the Rainworth Water to the south of the Abbey was managed as Meadows to provide winter fodder for large numbers of sheep. The Cistercians were prolific sheep farmers.

The Abbey organised much of these land-holdings into 'Granges'- most of them within a days walk of the Abbey- the best know being Inkersall Grange which sat on Rainworth Water on the southern-most extent of the home estates.

As well as the demense farming which provided income for the Abbey, the Monks also possessed large parts of the town of Rotherham in Yorkshire which provided a vast amount of taxable income for the Abbey.

The Abbey was a popular over night resting place on the great road through the Forest and would have provided welcome accommodation as night fell over the desolate heaths and remote woodland of the High Forest (see A Journey through Sherwood Forest: Rufford Abbey to Nottingham post). 

Accommodation was provided for free by the monks- so it was essential that the monastery could provide for itself and visitors. The large amounts of farmland kept by the Abbey was therefore of great importance to ensure they could provide for all these travelers.

These could include Royalty, and in 1290 Queen Eleanor of Castile, wife of King Edward I stayed here while Edward held Parliament at his nearby Royal Palace and Hunting lodge at Clipstone (see Parliament Oak: Icon of Sherwood Forest entry for more details ). In fact the Abbey was among her final resting places as she was ill during her stay there, and died during an attempt to move to Lincoln for Spiritual and Medical help.

Rufford was a part of the fabric of life in Sherwood Forest for 400 hundred years.

It would sadly come to an end in the 1530 under King Henry VIII along with all other monasteries in the Kingdom.

At the Dissolution of the Monastery the Abbot was accused of being incontinent with two married women and 4 single women- six of the monks were said to be desirous of exemption from their duties- and the monastery was dissolved in 1536 (it is quite likely that these charges were trumped up as they were very convenient for the crown- however Priests were often badly behaved at times in Medieval Sherwood Forest).

Despite this inglorious ending, Rufford Abbey passed into the hands of rich landowners and eventually emerged to become a Country Park in the present Day with parts of the Medieval Abbey surviving within the later house. These  include the Lay Brothers Frater and the Undercroft which can still be visited to this day.

Photograph: Mercian Archaeological Services CIC, Rufford Abbey Country Park

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

3,000 Facebook Likes for Sherwood Forest Heritage

The Archaeology and History of Medieval Sherwood Forest Facebook page now has over 3,000 followers!
Mercian Archaeological Services CIC would like to thank everyone for the amazing support they have shown to their Archaeology and History of Medieval Sherwood Forest project.

www.facebook.com/SherwoodForestHistory , www.facebook.com/MercianArch

Reaching 3,000 Facebook likes is a fabulous landmark that just goes to show how interested people are in the heritage of this wonderful area, and how close the subject is to so many peoples hearts.

This project is ran by Mercian Archaeological Services as part of their Community Archaeology outreach and is all about promoting Sherwood Forest and its fantastic heritage to as wide an audience as possible around the world. 

This support helps to give a platform for the work undertaken by ourselves and many others in Sherwood Forest, and helps to promote the forest as a whole- reflecting its changing medieval boundaries, which stretch far beyond those in the modern landsape.

The community in Sherwood Forest is a strong and vibrant one, and there is a healthy  network of groups, landowners, charities, volunteers and companies who give blood sweat and tears everyday to promote this forest 

This collective work hopefully goes someway to helping to protect Sherwood Forest for future generations to know and love too.

The work goes on...

Please spread the word and help promote this marvelous story as far as we can.

facebook.com/sherwoodforesthistory - please like the page.
facebook.com/MercianArch  - please like the page.

Thank you,

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

St Nicholas' Church, Nottingham. Medieval Church and Sniper's Hideout...

St Nicholas' Church is one of Nottingham's three medieval religious foundations that survive to this day. 

The building which stands today however was built in the 17th century.

Picture: St Nicholas Church Nottingham by Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

The Church of St Nicholas' is first mentioned in the foundation charter of Lenton Priory from 1103-8 where an annual pension was confirmed to the prior and convent of 15 shillings annually.

It is therefore believed to have been founded before the Norman conquest, probably in the eleventh century.

The medieval church contained a Chantry dedicated to St Mary- possibly situated in the Lady chapel which is also mentioned in the records.

There was also a Guild or fraternity of St Mary associated with the church.

With the Norman conquest the church found itself in the French quarter of Nottingham outside the walls of the castle- this location would eventually lead to its downfall.

Speeds 1610 map suggests the medieval church had a nave and possibly one or two isles, along with a west tower complete with a spire. Stapleton in his 1903 book 'churches and monasteries of Old Nottingham' suggest the tower and spire were of Decorated Gothic architecture.

This medieval building has sadly been destroyed, but the story of its downfall is fantastic in itself.

It is well documented that Colonel Hutchinson Governor of Nottingham Castle ordered its destruction in 1643 during the English Civil Wars.

The church was garrisoned by Royalists who used it to fire on the Parliamentarians in the castle. 

The diary of Colonel Hutchinson's wife, Lucy states ' There was an old church called St Nicholas' Church, whose steeple so commanded the platform that the men could not play the ordnance without woolsacks before them. From this church the bullets played so thick into the outward Castle Yard that they could not pass from one gate to another, nor relieve the guards, but with great hazard' (Stapleton 1903).

Picutre: Lucy Hutchinson courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ucy_hutchinson.jpg

After the town was cleared of Royalists the Colonel had the church taken down so theat it could not be used against them again.

A fabulous tale rich in the history of Olde Nottingham Towne...

In 1678 a new church was erected in brick which exists to this day, and is the subject of the photograph above by Mercian Archaeological Services CIC.

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Mercian Archaeolgical Services CIC and the Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC are please to announce that they have now officially running the Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project as of June 2013.

The Sherwood Forest Archaeology Project aims to research and promote Sherwood Forest - the most famous forest in history.

As the home to the legendary outlaw and hero Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest is known throughout the world.

The ethos of this project is to promote the Archaeology, History and Heritage of Sherwood Forest, its landscape and people.

It aims to support and promote the work of individuals and groups (often voluntary) who undertake work in the Forest.

And to raise the profile of this heritage and work to the widest possible audience. 

The project website has had close to 100,000 page views in under two years and the Facebook page has close to 3,000 followers so far!

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC are a Community Interest Company who undertake Community Archaeology with and for the community- please like the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/MercianArch 

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC are currently running and planning many projects in Sherwood Forest- and we will keep everyone updated as they progress...

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC - the Kings Clipstone Village Project

In February 2013 Mercian Archaeological Services CIC (www.mercian-as.co.uk and www.facebook.com/MercianArch), a Community Interest Company undertaking Community Archaeology Projects in the East Midlands, ran an archaeological project to excavate test pits in the village of Kings Clipstone in the heart of Sherwood Forest.

The project was aimed at examining among other things the development of the settlement in Medieval times.

Picture: the ruins of King John's Palace in the heart of Sherwood Forest by Andy Gaunt, Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

The village north of the Mansfield Road consisted of long and narrow tofts and crofts which extended backwards from the road to the River Maun to the north.

Evidence from the excavation suggests that this part of the village was formed in the 13th century, as an expansion of the settlement around the royal palace that occupied the ground to the south of the road.

The interim report for this project will be available to download shortly.

The royal palace now known as King John's Palace was the centre for crown activities in Sherwood Forest until the end of the 14th century, with all the Plantagenet Kings from Henry II to Richard II staying there. It was built to accommodate the crown during visits to the forest, where hunting would take place in the royal park adjacent.

In the summer of July 2012, James Wright of https://www.facebook.com/ArchaeologyHistoryKingsClipstone and Andy Gaunt, David Budge and Sean Crossley (now Mercian Archaeological Services CIC) excavated trenches across the boundary ditch of the palace complex.

This report is being brought to completion over the next few weeks too and will be available to download via Mercian's document stores....

It is hoped that a number of publications will follow in the coming year which bring together all of the corpus of work undertaken in the village and at the palace to date, including extensive work looking at the landscape of the lordship and forest.

There will be more community archaeology work coming in the village very soon, with plenty of opportunities to get involved- watch this space for more information...


For more info follow www.mercian-as.co.uk/news.html and www.facebook.com/MercianArch

Mercian Archaeological Services CIC

St. Mary's Church, Nottingham- and Robin Hood and the Monk

St Mary's Church in Nottingham is the earliest church in the town and is mentioned in Domesday Book. It was at the heart of the original Saxon town. 




The earliest of the surviving ballads of Robin Hood- Robin and the Monk (talkyng of the Munke and Robyne Hode)- written down around 1450- mentions St. Mary's Church in Nottingham. Robin is said to have visited the church (he was devoted to the Virgin Mary) when he was spotted by a Grey Monk whose alarm forced him to be captured. The tale tells of his subsequent rescue from the Sheriff by Little John and Much the Miller's Son. 




The church was almost entirely rebuilt in the Perpendicular Gothic style in the 15th century, and is a fantastic example of this style of architecture- with its south and north transept windows utilising the innovations in architecture to create almost entire walls of glass.




The church was under the control of the nearby Lenton Abbey in the medieval period, and was a the heart of religious life in the town.


See the facebook gallery for more images

Lyndhurst Wood- the 'chief wood of Sherwood'

Medieval Sherwood Forest was not one giant wood, but had a mixed landscape of villages with their arable fields, pasture and meadows. The forest however was chosen because it had a large amount of woodland and heath.

There were many different woods across the forest- most had names of their own.

A huge area of woodland stretched north-eastwards from Nottingham along the clay ridge now known as Mapperley tops. This wood was divided into many separately named woods belonging to all the different villages nearby (more of that later).

In the northern High forest there were also many woods such as the mighty Mansfield Wood, Kirkby wood, Haywood Oaks, and the woods of Clipstone and Edwinstowe. (these will be discussed in turn at some point).

The crown also held the two great woods of Birklands and Bilhaugh (now the Sherwood Forest National nature Reserve).

Alongside all of these was a wood described as the ‘chief wood of Sherwood’ in the Forest Book; Lyndhurst Wood (spelt Lindhurst in modern times).

Lyndhurst means ‘lime-tree wood’ suggesting that species was dominant at one time. In the medieval period it was mainly oak- used for the upkeep of Nottingham castle.

‘During the extensive works that took place at the castle between 1358 and 1368, when Stephen Romylowe was constable, a great deal of timber was taken from Lindhurst. The surviving accounts give details of the employment of carpenters and sawyers there and of the expenses of carting the timber to Nottingham.’ (Crook 1981 in bibliography). 

Lyndhurst was originally all the 'wode growing on the eesh parte (east part) of the grete (great) way that leedeth betwxyt Notynhham (Nottingham), and Maunsfeild (Mansfield) unto Sothwell rode (Southwell road) in lengith (length), and the syke (stream) of Rayewath (Rainworth Water) on the southe parte, and the valey where a syke called oulde Idle (foulevil brook- see below) hathe the course of the northe parte in lengith, is called the chieffe wode of the foresh of Shirewood (the chief Wood of Sherwood Forest)'  

As stated above the wood was defined by Rainworth Water (a tributary of the River Maun) to the south, and on its northeastern side by a stream called ‘foulevil brook’ (a tributary of Rainworth Water)- the name does not suggest it formed a natural beauty spot at the time.

The Wood was positioned to the south of the manor of Mansfield and to the north of the manor of Blidworth. The Manor of Mansfield belonged to the King, and Blidworth to the Arch-Bishop of York.

Lyndhurst was a jealously guarded property of the crown and was separate to the Manor of Mansfield.

It had its own keeper: in the 13^th and early 14^th century its keeper was Ralph Clere who lived in a lodge called the ‘new repair’ on its south side.

A rectangular moated site survives – sometimes called ‘Friar Tuck’s Island’ (where Robin Hood was reputedly thrown in the river in the 'Curtal Friar) at this location known as Fountain Dale, Lyndhurst. It is on the opposite side of Rainworth Water to the spring known as Friar Tuck's Well.

The site can be visited from the A60 near Harlow Wood and Thieves Wood on the road to Mansfield. 

This keeper of Lyndhurst as well as looking after the wood had the job of collecting the tax of Cheminage, a toll on carts passing through the forest, payable to his master the Keeper of Sherwood Forest (see Road Tax entry) Robert D'Everingham.