Editing Sherwood Forest (section)

==History==
During [[Roman Britain]] various camps were discovered in parts of Sherwood Forest. It is to this that two remains of [[Roman villa|Roman Villas]] were identified in nearby [[Mansfield Woodhouse]] by [[Hayman Rooke|Major Hayman Rooke]] in 1787.<ref>Robert White, Worksop, The Dukery, and Sherwood Forest, (1875)|retrieved on 3 May 2025</ref>

Sherwood Forest was first recorded as being named Sciryuda in 958AD.<ref>History of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood and Major Oak|Nottinghamshire County Council|2025|retrieved on the 6 April 2025</ref>

[[Edwin of Northumbria|King Edwin of Northumbria]] in 633AD was killed at [[Hatfield Chase]] in a battle against his Mercian rival [[Penda of Mercia|King Penda of Mercia]] and his body was carried into the forest and buried/hidden in [[St Mary's Church, Edwinstowe]]. His head was later buried in [[York]] and his body in [[Whitby]].<ref>Sherwood Forest Country Park and Edwinstowe|Sherwood Forest Visitor|retrieved on 5 April 2025</ref> The village of [[Edwinstowe]] takes its name from [[Edwin of Northumbria|King Edwin of Northumbria]].<ref>Cite Web: https://visitsherwood.co.uk/at-the-visitor-centre/edwinstowe-village/|EDWINSTOWE VILLAGE, THE DUKERIES AND BEYOND|Visit Nottinghamshire|retrieved on 20 April 2025</ref><ref>St Marys Church, Edwinstowe| The Origins of Edwinstowe PDF| 2021|A Church Near You|Edwinstowe Guide|retrieved on 27 April 2025</ref>

In 1066, in the invasion of England, [[William the Conqueror]] made Sherwood Forest a Royal Hunting Forest.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Sherwood - Visit Nottinghamshire |url=https://www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk/explore/sherwood-forest/history-of-sherwood |access-date=2024-03-15 |website=www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk}}</ref><ref name="auto1">Robert White,The Dukery, and Sherwood Forest, (1875) retrieved in the 8th April 2023</ref> When the [[Domesday Book]] was compiled in 1086, the forest covered perhaps a quarter of Nottinghamshire (approximately 19,000 acres or 7,800 hectares) in woodland and heath subject to the [[royal forest|forest law]]s.

The earliest notice of the forest at Sherwood was at the time of [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] when [[William Peverel the Younger]] answered the plea of the forest, to which he profited and controlled the area.<ref>Robert White|The Dukery and Sherwood Forest|1875|retrieved on 11 April 2025</ref>

During the 12th and 13th centuries Christian Monastic Orders had established large estates within Sherwood Forest. Three Abbeys were founded [[Rufford Abbey]], [[Newstead Abbey]] and [[Priory Church of St Peter, Thurgarton|Thurgarton Priory]].<ref>History of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood and Major Oak|Nottinghamshire County Council|2025|retrieved on the 4 May 2025</ref>

Sherwood Forest was frequently visited by the [[List of monarchs of Mercia|Mercian Kings]].<ref name="auto"/> The forest became popular with [[John, King of England|King John]] and [[Edward I of England|Edward I]]. The remains of a [[Sporting lodge|hunting lodge]] can be found at [[Kings Clipstone]] named [[King John's Palace]].<ref name="auto2">cite web Nottinghamshire County Council, History of Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood and Major Oak, 2023 retrieved on the 8th April 2023</ref><ref name="auto1"/>

[[File:Royal.Forests.1327.1336.selected.jpg|right|thumb|Royal Forests between 1327-1336]]

After the [[dissolution of the monasteries]] by [[Henry VIII]] in 1536, the land of Sherwood was sold and granted into private ownership which was converted into house estates. [[James VI and I|James I]] in the 1600s visited the forest, as did [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] and [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] brought back under control the management of Sherwood Forest.<ref name="auto2"/><ref name="auto"/>

Sherwood Forest in 1623 had a narrow escape from a fire which broke out. The only record of this occurrence is written in a letter which is preserved in the [[British Museum]].<ref>William Horner Gloves|The history of Mansfield|1894| retrieved on 11 April 2025]].</ref>

In the 17th and 18th century’s [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] and then [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne]] sold large areas of Sherwood Crown Land to private owners who built the estates of [[Thoresby Hall]], [[Clumber Park|The former Clumber House]], [[Welbeck Abbey]] and [[Worksop Manor]]. These estates became known as [[the Dukeries]]. [[Newstead Abbey]] was converted into a country House and [[Rufford Abbey]] was partially demolished and converted into a country House.<ref name="auto2"/><ref>Cite Web:https://southwellchurches.nottingham.ac.uk/edwinstowe/hhistory.php  |St Mary’s Church Edwinstowe  |Southwell Churches| access date 7 May 2025</ref>

[[image:King John's Palace - geograph.org.uk - 3515217.jpg|thumb|250px|[[King John's Palace]]]]

[[Mansfield]] anciently became the pre-eminent in importance among the towns of the forest.<ref name="auto">William Horner Groves, The History of Mansfield, (1894) retrieved on the 8th April 2023</ref>