Barnsdale
Encyclopedia
Barnsdale, or Barnsdale Forest, is a relatively small area of South Yorkshire
, England
which has a rich history and the region is steeped in folklore
. Historically
part of the West Riding of Yorkshire
. Barnsdale lies in the immediate vicinity north and north-west of Doncaster
, and which was formerly forested and a place of royal hunts, and also renowned as a haunt of the outlaw
Robin Hood
in early ballads.
falls within the West Riding of Yorkshire
within Yorkshire
.
The villages within Barnsdale are today part of the local government administration area South Yorkshire
, the southern villages are more specifically now part of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, but the villages and hamlets of northern Barnsdale fall within the City of Wakefield
metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire
.
The small South Yorkshire village of Hampole
is generally considered to lie within the dead centre of what was once the Barnsdale Forest area 53°35′10.0"N 1°14′0.00"W. It is recorded that Richard Rolle
(1300–1349), the famous Latin
and English religious writer and Bible translator, spent his final years at Hampole as a hermit
, secluded in the dense forest.
The area was once thick woodland, rich with game
and deer
; and the monarchs of England are sometimes recorded as having gone on royal hunts in the Barnsdale forest. It is believed that at some point in the early medieval era, Barnsdale Forest was probably huge and may have covered most of South Yorkshire (in the same manner as Sherwood Forest
probably once covered most of Nottinghamshire). It is possible that the large town of Barnsley
, some 10 miles (16 km) to the west of Hampole
, probably got the name from the forest.
Barnsdale Bar is the site of the junction of the A1 (the historic Great North Road
), the A639, and Wrangbrook Lane, Woodfield Road and Long Lane (junction 38 of the A1). Now a service area lies just north of the junction, about eight miles north-north-west of Doncaster. Three limestone
quarries
exist nearby, and archeological digs at the site have turned up some fascinating materials, architecture
, and preserved farmland dating back to the medieval era, the Dark Ages, and beyond (read article here)
All that now exists of Barnsdale Forest is small gatherings of trees at the side of the A1 trunk road
at Barnsdale Bar 53°37′3.12"N 1°13′53.05"W. There is however a wooded area around a half a mile wide, lying around a mile south of Hampole. It is called Hampole Wood, and although a small wood, the trees there may be direct descendants of the trees of Barndale Forest. The same could be said of the woodland that resides around a nearby stately home, Brodsworth Hall
. At Woodlands (q.v.) there is Hanging Wood, which was also part of Barnsdale Forest.
At Barnsdale Bar there is a 1,226 yard railway tunnel which although closed to passenger traffic in 1932 and completely closed in 1959 is in remarkable condition and is part of the former Hull and Barnsley Railway
.
). This is in direct contradiction of what many believe - that Robin Hood resided in Sherwood Forest
, some fifty miles to the south of Barnsdale, in Nottinghamshire. Some believe that this is evidence of a historical Robin Hood who was a Yorkshireman. However it is possible that the two forests were so large that they conjoined together at this period in history; indeed, the two forests may even have been one great forest in this respect.
There is also Robin Hood's Well
, a small monument (apparently designed by John Vanbrugh
) lying right next to the A1 between the Red House
junction and Barnsdale Bar; in between the villages of Skelbrooke and Burghwallis
. It was however moved around 1960 when the junction was being constructed, so the real well is now beneath the A1.
Yet another well - Little John's Well
- lies to the west of Hampole
, between Wrangbrook and Skelbrooke (but closer to the latter). It is also called Little John's Cave. Situated by the A638, to the west of Barnsdale, it was once engraved with the outlaws' name but is now derelict.
South of Barnsdale Bar, the A1 follows the old Roman Road
of Ermine Street
- north of Barnsdale Bar the A639 follows the course of the Roman Road more closely whilst the A1 follows a more recent route. A number of villages and geological features along this route are mentioned in the early ballads of Robin Hood as being places the outlaw would visit.
In Hanging Wood
, also known as Highfields Wood, which lies between Hampole
and Highfields, 53°33′39.96"N 1°11′58.68"W a small stream known as Robin Hood's stream springs from underneath the Roman Road and runs into the Pick burn.
of Woodlands
which lies about 4 miles south of Barnsdale Bar between the Roman Road
and the historic Great North Road, here numbered as the A638
following the construction in 1960 of the A1(M) Doncaster by-pass.
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which has a rich history and the region is steeped in folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
. Historically
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
part of the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
. Barnsdale lies in the immediate vicinity north and north-west of Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
, and which was formerly forested and a place of royal hunts, and also renowned as a haunt of the outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
in early ballads.
Boundaries and features of Barnsdale
Barnsdale historicallyHistoric counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
falls within the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
within Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.
The villages within Barnsdale are today part of the local government administration area South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, the southern villages are more specifically now part of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, but the villages and hamlets of northern Barnsdale fall within the City of Wakefield
City of Wakefield
The City of Wakefield is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. Wakefield is the district's administrative centre. The district includes the "Five Towns" of Normanton, Pontefract, Featherstone, Castleford and Knottingley. Other...
metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
.
The small South Yorkshire village of Hampole
Hampole
Hampole is a small village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster , on the border with West Yorkshire. The eastern boundary of the parish is marked by the Great North Road, and the parish lies in what was once the Barnsdale Forest. It has a population of 187.Hampole itself is a...
is generally considered to lie within the dead centre of what was once the Barnsdale Forest area 53°35′10.0"N 1°14′0.00"W. It is recorded that Richard Rolle
Richard Rolle
Rolle is honored in the Church of England on January 20 and in the Episcopal Church together with Walter Hilton and Margery Kempe on September 28.-Works in print:*English Prose Treatises of Richard Rolle of Hampole, Edited by George Perry...
(1300–1349), the famous Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and English religious writer and Bible translator, spent his final years at Hampole as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
, secluded in the dense forest.
The area was once thick woodland, rich with game
Game (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
and deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
; and the monarchs of England are sometimes recorded as having gone on royal hunts in the Barnsdale forest. It is believed that at some point in the early medieval era, Barnsdale Forest was probably huge and may have covered most of South Yorkshire (in the same manner as Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is a Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, England, that is famous through its historical association with the legend of Robin Hood. Continuously forested since the end of the Ice Age, Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve today encompasses 423 hectares surrounding the village of...
probably once covered most of Nottinghamshire). It is possible that the large town of Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, some 10 miles (16 km) to the west of Hampole
Hampole
Hampole is a small village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster , on the border with West Yorkshire. The eastern boundary of the parish is marked by the Great North Road, and the parish lies in what was once the Barnsdale Forest. It has a population of 187.Hampole itself is a...
, probably got the name from the forest.
Barnsdale Bar is the site of the junction of the A1 (the historic Great North Road
Great North Road (Great Britain)
The Great North Road was a coaching route used by mail coaches between London, York and Edinburgh. The modern A1 mainly follows the Great North Road. The inns on the road, many of which survive, were staging posts on the coach routes, providing accommodation, stabling for the horses and...
), the A639, and Wrangbrook Lane, Woodfield Road and Long Lane (junction 38 of the A1). Now a service area lies just north of the junction, about eight miles north-north-west of Doncaster. Three limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
quarries
Quarries
Quarries - The "Royal Quarries" — not found in Scripture — is the namegiven to the vast caverns stretching far underneath the northern hill, Bezetha, on which Jerusalem is built. Out of these mammoth caverns stones, a hard limestone, have been quarried in ancient times for the buildings in the...
exist nearby, and archeological digs at the site have turned up some fascinating materials, architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, and preserved farmland dating back to the medieval era, the Dark Ages, and beyond (read article here)
All that now exists of Barnsdale Forest is small gatherings of trees at the side of the A1 trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
at Barnsdale Bar 53°37′3.12"N 1°13′53.05"W. There is however a wooded area around a half a mile wide, lying around a mile south of Hampole. It is called Hampole Wood, and although a small wood, the trees there may be direct descendants of the trees of Barndale Forest. The same could be said of the woodland that resides around a nearby stately home, Brodsworth Hall
Brodsworth Hall
Brodsworth Hall, near Brodsworth, five miles north-west of Doncaster in South Yorkshire is one of the most complete surviving examples of a Victorian country house in England, and is virtually unchanged since the 1860s...
. At Woodlands (q.v.) there is Hanging Wood, which was also part of Barnsdale Forest.
At Barnsdale Bar there is a 1,226 yard railway tunnel which although closed to passenger traffic in 1932 and completely closed in 1959 is in remarkable condition and is part of the former Hull and Barnsley Railway
Hull and Barnsley Railway
The Hull Barnsley & West Riding Junction Railway and Dock Company was opened on 20 July 1885. It had a total projected length of 66 miles but never reached Barnsley, stopping a few miles short at Stairfoot. The name was changed to The Hull and Barnsley Railway in 1905...
.
Connections between the Barnsdale area and the Robin Hood legend
In the earliest medieval ballads of Robin Hood, the 'bold outlaw' is stated as having made Barnsdale Forest his abode and base of operations (as an example, see A Gest of Robyn HodeA Gest of Robyn Hode
"A Gest of Robyn Hode" is Child Ballad 117; it is also called A Lyttell Geste of Robyn Hode in one of the two oldest books that contain it....
). This is in direct contradiction of what many believe - that Robin Hood resided in Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is a Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, England, that is famous through its historical association with the legend of Robin Hood. Continuously forested since the end of the Ice Age, Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve today encompasses 423 hectares surrounding the village of...
, some fifty miles to the south of Barnsdale, in Nottinghamshire. Some believe that this is evidence of a historical Robin Hood who was a Yorkshireman. However it is possible that the two forests were so large that they conjoined together at this period in history; indeed, the two forests may even have been one great forest in this respect.
There is also Robin Hood's Well
Robin Hood's Well
Robin Hood's Well is at Skellow, South Yorkshire, England by the old Great North Road, in what was known as Barnsdale or Barnsdale Forest.The well was moved from its original location when the dual carriageway alongside it was built. Hence it is no longer a real well, and has a solid concrete...
, a small monument (apparently designed by John Vanbrugh
John Vanbrugh
Sir John Vanbrugh – 26 March 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse and The Provoked Wife , which have become enduring stage favourites...
) lying right next to the A1 between the Red House
Red House (Woodlands)
Red House is the name of junction 38 of the A1, where it meets the A638, 4 miles north of Doncaster and ¾ of a mile north of Woodlands, South Yorkshire, England. South of the junction, the A638 follows the route of the historic Great North Road to Doncaster...
junction and Barnsdale Bar; in between the villages of Skelbrooke and Burghwallis
Burghwallis
Burghwallis is a small village and civil parish in rural South Yorkshire.-Geography:The village is situated amongst mixed farmland and woodland on a slight rise roughly six miles north north west of Doncaster, or one mile off the A1....
. It was however moved around 1960 when the junction was being constructed, so the real well is now beneath the A1.
Yet another well - Little John's Well
Little John's Well
Little John's Well is situated near to the A638 at Hampole, in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, in what was known as Barnsdale Forest.-External links:*...
- lies to the west of Hampole
Hampole
Hampole is a small village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster , on the border with West Yorkshire. The eastern boundary of the parish is marked by the Great North Road, and the parish lies in what was once the Barnsdale Forest. It has a population of 187.Hampole itself is a...
, between Wrangbrook and Skelbrooke (but closer to the latter). It is also called Little John's Cave. Situated by the A638, to the west of Barnsdale, it was once engraved with the outlaws' name but is now derelict.
South of Barnsdale Bar, the A1 follows the old Roman Road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
of Ermine Street
Ermine Street
Ermine Street is the name of a major Roman road in England that ran from London to Lincoln and York . The Old English name was 'Earninga Straete' , named after a tribe called the Earningas, who inhabited a district later known as Armingford Hundred, around Arrington, Cambridgeshire and Royston,...
- north of Barnsdale Bar the A639 follows the course of the Roman Road more closely whilst the A1 follows a more recent route. A number of villages and geological features along this route are mentioned in the early ballads of Robin Hood as being places the outlaw would visit.
In Hanging Wood
Hanging Wood, South Yorkshire
Hanging Wood is also known as Highfields Wood. It is situated between the old Great North Road and the Roman Road, and between the mining villages of Highfields and Woodlands...
, also known as Highfields Wood, which lies between Hampole
Hampole
Hampole is a small village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster , on the border with West Yorkshire. The eastern boundary of the parish is marked by the Great North Road, and the parish lies in what was once the Barnsdale Forest. It has a population of 187.Hampole itself is a...
and Highfields, 53°33′39.96"N 1°11′58.68"W a small stream known as Robin Hood's stream springs from underneath the Roman Road and runs into the Pick burn.
The 'Woodlands' Model Village
Perhaps the best known feature of modern-day Barnsdale, is the model villageModel village
A model village is a type of mostly self-contained community, in most cases built from the late eighteenth century onwards by industrialists to house their workers...
of Woodlands
Woodlands, South Yorkshire
Woodlands is a model village, 3 miles north of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. It was designed and built in the early 20th century by Percy Bond Houfton as tied cottages for the miners of the neighbouring Brodsworth Colliery...
which lies about 4 miles south of Barnsdale Bar between the Roman Road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
and the historic Great North Road, here numbered as the A638
A638 road
The A638 is a main road in England that runs between the A1 at Markham Moor in Nottinghamshire and Chain Bar Junction 26 of the M62 motorway south of Bradford in West Yorkshire....
following the construction in 1960 of the A1(M) Doncaster by-pass.