Sherwood Forest is arguably the most famous historic landscape in the
world, immortalized through storytelling, mythology, romantic books, and
ultimately by Hollywood. This is the setting for Robin Hood, Little John
and the rest of the 'Merry Men'. Yet behind the glamorous legends are
equally fascinating places, people and histories. An important and vast
medieval 'Forest' and extensive heath, the area was farmed and settled
before that time. After the break-up of the Royal Hunting Forest came
the famous establishment of great halls, houses and parks of the
aristocracy, the so-called 'Dukeries', and then industry, with deep coal
mining, wartime military training, and twentieth-century forestry. From
the nineteenth century onwards, the region was a notable tourism and
leisure destination, and the sites of famous oak trees such as the Major
Oak were places one could visit to touch the past. Tourism continues
today as visitors from around the world come to experience the forest's
nature, history and myth. This book is not a guide to the region but a
companion to the area, its history, its people and its landscape. As
such, this volume will be of great interest to visitors to the region,
to residents and to all those fascinated by the history and the legends
of Sherwood and the Dukeries. The book focuses on Sherwood Forest and
the Dukeries area, but in the context of the surrounding towns and
villages and is richly illustrated with images from the past, including
photographs, postcards, paintings and antique prints from over two
hundred years.
