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ROBIN HOOD'S WELL

There is a well here and it's supposed to mark the spot where a legendary Robin Hood incident occurred.

The story goes that the well marks the spot that Robin Hood and his band of outlaws dressed as shepherds and surrounded the Bishop of Hereford and his men who were travelling through this area then known as Barnsdale.

The outlaws forced the bishop to eat a meal of venison with them before robbing him of £300 to pay for the pleasure, and then they made him dance around a tree here with his boots on until he collapsed from exhaustion.

It's purported to date from at least Henry VIII's reign by the side of the Southbound A1, and was moved here when the A1 was widened in the 1960's. It used to be just north of the Skell, although where exactly we're not sure, because it's current location here is a little away from the from The Skell. It's a mile or so from Burghwallis and Five Lane Ends, Skellow.

In 1711 this squat arched stone structure designed by architect John Vanbrugh (1664-1726) was erected here by the Earl of Carlisle alongside an old coaching inn called the Robin Hood Inn which it is rumored to have featured a three-pint leather bottle that once belonged to Robin Hood.

It appears to be near the site of a 'stone of Robin Hood' which was recorded in a Monkbretton charter of 1422.

Directions

By car only, it's 7 miles north of Doncaster in a layby on an A road. Southbound, turn into the first large layby just after the A639 turn off. It's just off the Southern end of the layby. Northbound turn off at the A639 flyover and come back 200 yards as above.

Street Map

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Prices

FREE

OPENING TIMES

24/7

Parking

The whole layby, plenty, and free!

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