Robin Hood Chauffeur Tour In Nottingham

Brookes can provide a choice of tailored sightseeing tours to include places such as Nottingham Castle, Sherwood Forest, Rufford Abbey & Clumber Park amongst others based around Nottinghamshire and the legend of Robin Hood. We can provide Mercedes Viano people carriers capable of carrying up to 6 passengers or for larger groups a Mercedes 16 seat executive minibus. We can also provide a local guide to accompany you throughout your tour who specialises in the history of Robin Hood, arrange activities such as archery lessons and recommend hotels for your stay or make dinner and lunch reservations on your behalf. If you are visiting from overseas we can also provide an interpreter at an additional charge.

www.visitnottingham.com
www.sherwoodforest.org.uk
www.nottinghamshire.go.uk
www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk
www.visitbritain.co.uk
www.galleriesofjustice.org.uk

Everyone has heard of Robin Hood Nottinghamshire's most famous son and the world's favourite folk hero. His adventures have been retold down the generations, from medieval ballads to Hollywood blockbusters.

robin hood chauffeur tour nottingham Tradition tells that Robin Hood was an outlaw who poached the king's deer in the royal hunting forest of Sherwood. Stories relate how travellers through the forest provided rich pickings for the gentleman robber and his band of "merry men". We hear how he outwitted the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, turning the tables on corrupt churchmen and officials who abused their power over an oppressed peasantry.

But how did the legend start? Did the tale of Robin Hood begin with a real historical figure, or was he a creation of medieval storytellers? Finding a direct answer to the question: "Who was he?" is difficult. Apart from a few oblique references to be found in medieval chronicles, much of our information is derived from a series of ballads sung in the latter half of the Middle Ages. These were adapted and modified over the next 500 years until the representation of Robin Hood was quite different.

Once an area of woodland and heath stretching over 30 miles from Nottingham to Worksop, Sherwood Forest was established as a royal hunting preserve in the 10th Century. Revived by the Normans, the "forest" (a legal term for woodland having a separate jurisdiction) was enjoyed by successive kings: the sandy heath and thickets provided ideal cover for deer and hunting with falcons. The forests of Middle England had long been the haunt of the outlawed. Roving bands of often highly trained men would wreak havoc on the representatives of law and order. Sherwood Forest was known as a place where few ventured forth after dark and traffic on the "Kings Great Way" from Nottingham to York would often travel in convoy.

Nottingham Castle

Commissioned by the Duke of Newcastle, this magnificent 17th century ducal mansion was built on the Castle Rock. Perched high above the city, it provides spectacular views across the city and surrounding countryside.

The site on which the castle is constructed is rich in historical importance. William the Conqueror built a wooden castle on the site in 1067, which was later rebuilt in stone by Henry II as the main royal fortress in the Midlands. The 16th century was a time of neglect for the castle, leading to its ruin. King James I sold the castle in 1622 to the Earl of Rutland who stripped it of all valuable materials, such as lead and stone. In 1642, King Charles I raised his royal standard just outside the castle, and so began the Civil War. After the Civil War in 1651, the castle was demolished and rebuilt in 1679 by the first Duke of Newcastle. Gutted by fire in an attack by reform bill rioters in 1831, it was restored and opened as the first municipal museum and art gallery outside London in 1878.

Today, the castle is a vibrant museum and art gallery which attracts national and international visitors. The galleries house historical and contemporary collections of silver, glass, ceramics and fine art. A temporary exhibitions programme brings some of the best regional, national and international artists work to the city.

Set in beautiful Victorian gardens, with a bandstand, floral displays and many native wild flowers, it is possible to still see some of the old castle ruins in the grounds. Underneath the castle are many man-made caves and tunnels, some of which date back to medieval times. Visitors can also take a guided tour into the caves and see King David’s dungeon and the old wine cellar.