Verysdale
Encyclopedia
Verysdale is a part of medieval England
which is mentioned in the early ballads of Robin Hood
(especially the ballad A Gest of Robyn Hode, in which a friendly knight, Richard at the Lee
, befriends the gallant outlaw and later is revealed as the lord or Earl
of Verysdale). Verysdale may be entirely fictional, or it may be based upon a real county
with some basis in geographical reality, or it may even have been a term used to refer to a real county. Scholars and historians are divided as to this, as well as the exact supposed location of Verysdale.
Some believe the location of Verysdale was somewhere in the Peak District
(the ballad would seem to suggest so), although there are many suggestions and theories. Locations in West Yorkshire
, South Yorkshire
, Nottinghamshire
, Derbyshire
, Lancashire
, and Cumbria
have all been suggested. One scholar equated Verysdale with Wensleydale
whilst another equated it with Kirklees
.
Also mentioned in the same ballad was "Uterysdale", which has been identified by some as relating to the village of Lee in the Wyre valley - Wyresdale [Lancashire] and references to Richard de Leghs [Leghe] in Lancashire one in the village of Woodhouses during the early 13th century. This bears a similarity to the title "Richard at the Lee" who is said to have been the lord of Verysdale.
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 is mentioned in the early ballads of 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....
(especially the ballad A Gest of Robyn Hode, in which a friendly knight, Richard at the Lee
Richard at the Lee
Richard at the Lee was a major character in the early medieval ballads of Robin Hood, especially the lengthy ballad A Gest of Robyn Hode, and has reappeared in Robin Hood tales throughout the centuries.Sir Richard is said to have been a nobleman, the lord of Verysdale...
, befriends the gallant outlaw and later is revealed as the lord or Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
of Verysdale). Verysdale may be entirely fictional, or it may be based upon a real county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
with some basis in geographical reality, or it may even have been a term used to refer to a real county. Scholars and historians are divided as to this, as well as the exact supposed location of Verysdale.
Some believe the location of Verysdale was somewhere in the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
(the ballad would seem to suggest so), although there are many suggestions and theories. Locations in 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....
, 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...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, and Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
have all been suggested. One scholar equated Verysdale with Wensleydale
Wensleydale
Wensleydale is the valley of the River Ure on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire, England.Wensleydale lies in the Yorkshire Dales National Park – one of only a few valleys in the Dales not currently named after its principal river , but the older name, "Yoredale", can still be seen...
whilst another equated it with Kirklees
Kirklees
The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite...
.
Also mentioned in the same ballad was "Uterysdale", which has been identified by some as relating to the village of Lee in the Wyre valley - Wyresdale [Lancashire] and references to Richard de Leghs [Leghe] in Lancashire one in the village of Woodhouses during the early 13th century. This bears a similarity to the title "Richard at the Lee" who is said to have been the lord of Verysdale.