The archery contest is a major recurring theme in the legends of Robin Hood.

In the earliest Ballads the archery contest appears twice in the Gest, and once in the The Potter. (For an introduction to the ballads and legend see the Legend of Robin Hood story) in all three of these instances the location of the contest is specified as Nottingham.

On the second occasion in the Gest, and again in The Potter the location given is the town Butts (Holt 1989).


Medieval Archery








Picture: Medieval Archery


Such contests must have been common in medieval times, with people shooting at Butts, or watching others.

In the Assize of 1242 the possession of sword, bow, arrows and knife was enjoyed on all free men who held land worth £2 to £5 a year or chattels (carriable possessions) valued between £6 and £13 6s. 8d. (note this is based on a persons wealth). In 1363 Edward III instructed that archery practice was to be compulsory on feast days and Sundays, and in 1465 Edward IV required that Butts would be maintained in every township for regular practice on festivals (Holt 1989).

In a forest it was illegal to travel with a bow and arrow.

The town Butts would therefore have been one of the few places that shooting arrows was permitted.

This must have made them popular to say the least.

In Nottingham the town Butts were located beside the road to Derby outside the Chapel Bar gate to the northwest of the town walls in a triangle of land between Derby Road and the Castle Deer Park near the modern day 'rope walk' (Butler 1950).

Maybe this was where Robin Hood undertook his legendary competition?



(Andy Gaunt, first published 14/11/2011)


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The Sherwood Forest
National Nature Reserve Archaeology Survey

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Long term Research at 
King John’s Palace:
Ancient Royal Heart of Sherwood Forest

-------------------------------

The Sherwood Forest Archaeology Training Fieldschool

--------------------------------

“Scirwuda- Mapping the Greenwood”: Place-names,
Ghost and Shadow woods of Sherwood Forest Project

-------------------------------

Investigating Thynghowe Viking
Meeting Site

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Searching for the 
The Battle of Hatfield

-------------------------------

Edwinstowe Church Survey

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 Fieldswork at St Edwin’s Chapel

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St Mary’s Norton- Cuckney Church Survey

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 Mapping Medieval Sherwood Forest

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The Sherwood Forest LiDAR
Project

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Warsop Old Hall
Archaeological Project

-------------------------------

The Sherwood Villages Project:
Settlement Development in the Forest

-------------------------------

Sherwood Heath Survey

--------------------------------

 Clipstone Village Dig

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Researching Edward IIs fortification at Clipstone Peel

-------------------------------

Ransom Wood Survey

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Thoresby Estate Survey

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 Robin Hood’s Village Dig

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The Cistercians of Rufford Project:
Settlement Development, Dynamics and Desertion.

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Sherwood Forest Environmental Survey

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