The Sherwood Forest Eyre Court of 1287 tells of an offence committed in Sherwood Forest in 1279 'on the Friday next before Ascension Day in the seventh year of the reign of King Edward...'

'It is presented by Adam D'Everingham (hereditary keeper of Sherwood Forest) that Alan of Leverton, clericus foreste de Schirewod (the clerk of Sherwood Forest) with Robillard his page took a doe in the park of Clipston(e)... with a laparario ruffo (red greyhound)...'


Medieval hunting scene













Picture: Medieval hunting scene


The doe was eaten by the pigs in the park because it was taken so late at night it was too dark to find it…

A common problem presumably for illicit poachers!

Following his crime which along with killing the king's deer, must have included failing to 'hamble' his hound (removing of claws- a requirement under Forest Law) Alan was brought before the justices and sent to prison...

Maybe he spent time under the custody of 'William the Gaoler' who was one of the gaolers at Nottingham Castle around that time?

Maybe not though as he wasn't in gaol for too long receiving a ransom of half a mark sometime after...

His page Robillard did not show up and appears to have gone on the run

He was then exacted (his belongings seized- usually before outlawing)...

The interesting fact here is that these men were not peasants struggling for food in the forest to avoid starvation. Many of the people caught poaching or caught chopping down trees were ordinary folk.

In this instance they were members of the Forest Administration itself! They were in the employment of the keeper of the Forest Adam D'Everingham.

Understanding their motives is a little harder.

Even harder still is to understand the motives of Robert D'Everingham - son of Adam D'Everingham who within a few years of receiving the keepership of Sherwood Forest from his father, was stripped of his position and himself imprisoned within ten years of this incident...

... for poaching the King's deer!

The entry does at least show us that Forest Law affected people at all levels of society. The fact that people were willing to infringe upon these laws despite the risks, shows us the allure of hunting and poaching to people in medieval Sherwood Forest.

No wonder Robin Hood and his flouting of the Forest Law by living and feasting on the kings deer, was such a popular figure for ballad singers and story tellers around the fireside's of Medieval England.



(Andy Gaunt, first published 24/12/2011)


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The Future of Sherwood’s Past

 


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The Sherwood Forest
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King John’s Palace:
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The Sherwood Forest Archaeology Training Fieldschool

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“Scirwuda- Mapping the Greenwood”: Place-names,
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Investigating Thynghowe Viking
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Searching for the 
The Battle of Hatfield

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Edwinstowe Church Survey

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St Mary’s Norton- Cuckney Church Survey

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Sherwood Heath Survey

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Researching Edward IIs fortification at Clipstone Peel

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Ransom Wood Survey

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Thoresby Estate Survey

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The Cistercians of Rufford Project:
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Sherwood Forest Environmental Survey

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World War II in Sherwood Forest - Mapping the camps, munitions and more

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World War I in Sherwood Forest - Mapping the camps, munitions and more

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About Medieval Sherwood Forest

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Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest

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Project page links:

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

 Project Home page

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

About the Project

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

Awards

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

 Media

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

Research Aims

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

 Working with Specialists

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

Social Media - Follow us

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

The Sherwood Forest
National Nature Reserve Archaeology Survey

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

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

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

Searching for the 
The Battle of Hatfield

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

Edwinstowe Church Survey

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

 Fieldswork at St Edwin’s Chapel

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

St Mary’s Norton- Cuckney Church Survey

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

 Mapping Medieval Sherwood Forest

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

The Sherwood Forest LiDAR
Project

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

Warsop Old Hall
Archaeological Project

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

The Sherwood Villages Project:
Settlement Development in the Forest

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

Sherwood Heath Survey

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

 Clipstone Village Dig

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

Researching Edward IIs fortification at Clipstone Peel

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

Ransom Wood Survey

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

Thoresby Estate Survey

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

 Robin Hood’s Village Dig

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

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

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

Sherwood Forest Environmental Survey

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

World War II in Sherwood Forest - Mapping the camps, munitions and more

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

World War I in Sherwood Forest - Mapping the camps, munitions and more

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

About Medieval Sherwood Forest

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

Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest

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

 Outlaws & Villains

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

 Historical Research

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

 Stories from the Forest

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

Book Reviews

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

 Bibliography

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

 Funding the Project

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

 Project Partners

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

 Project Sponsors

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

 Robin Hood Challenges

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

Heritage Tourism Outreach

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

 Links page

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