The Sheriff of Nottingham has a theory that The Major Oak is a Trysting Tree?
The shape and size of the Major Oak indicates that it has for most of its life stood in a clearing uncrowded by other trees close by. It could have been at a crossroads for local paths. This might have made it a Trusting Tree.
Trysting trees are trees which, because of their individual prominence, appearance, or position, been chosen as meeting places. A ‘tryst’ is a time and a place for a meeting, especially of lovers. The word tryst shares it’s original with the words true and trust.
In a medieval forest like Sherwood (before GPS and sat nav) trysting trees could have acted as essential markers and as perfect locations for secret rendezvous between trusted locals and outlaws.
“A Gest of Robyn Hode” is one of the earliest surviving texts of the Robin Hood tales. The Gest (which meant tale or adventure) is a compilation of various Robin Hood tales, arranged as a sequence of adventures involving the yeoman outlaws Robin Hood and Little John, the poor knight Sir Richard at the Lee, the greedy abbot of St Mary’s Abbey, the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham, and King Edward of England. In it there is a reference to a trstell-tree.
Broke it well,” sayd Robyn,
“Thou gentyll knyght so fre,
And welcome be thou, gentyll knyght,
Under my trystell-tre.
The Major Oak is one of the biggest oak tree in Britain and we won’t discuss how old it might be (something from 800 – 1200 hundred years old ?? Who knows?) The world-famous tree weighs an estimated 23 tonnes, has a girth of 11.14 metres (36 and a half feet) and boasts an impressive canopy that reaches a whopping 28 metres (92ft).
Its height is in the region of (a mere) 52 feet (16m), that means it’s almost twice as broad as it’s tall. The Major Oak is a magnificent tree but she is not tall and is certainly very broad. This shape, where the tree has been able to grow out rather than up could mean that the Major Oak has for most of its life been in a clearing in the forest. Perhaps a cross roads of paths which gave the tree chance to spread out. It’s always stood a little a part?
The Sheriff was the chief agent of the crown in every county for hundreds of years and a vital part of royal government. He was the head of the fiscal, judicial, administrative, and military organisation of the shire and was a direct appointment of the crown.
All the legends of Robin Hood refer to The Sheriff of Nottingham in fact our Sheriff was Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Only from 1567 were Sheriffs for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire appointed separately.
The iconic statue of Robin Hood stands in the former moat of Nottingham Castle. Cast in bronze and weighing half a ton, the figure is 7ft tall, Robin is literally larger than life!
Robin Hood stands outside Nottingham Castle, the point of his arrow aimed at the gatehouse.
References ~ The Sheriff of Nottingham facebook page.
Tree Weaver 