Sherwood Forest FAQs

In its medieval prime, the Royal Forest of Sherwood covered about a fifth of Nottinghamshire, from the City of Nottingham in the south to Worksop in the north, from Mansfield in the west, eastwards to what is now roughly the line of the modern A614. It was an area about the size of modern Greater London.

No. There has been silver birch and oak woodland in this area since the last Ice Age – we know from pollen records. But for hundreds of years The Royal Hunting Forest of Sherwood was carefully managed by man, for a particular purpose – the aristocratic sport of hunting.

Hunting deer on horseback, and birds by the use of falconry, was a prestige activity to the medieval kings of England. Hunting was an active, fairly dangerous activity, showing off your wealth and status. Because the Crown owned rights over all the game and timber of Royal Forests, you only hunted in Sherwood by the King’s permission, and had to be of sufficient social standing.

So to provide the right landscape, the forest was managed. There had to be open spaces where hunters could gallop after deer, so Sherwood’s sandy heathland was kept open and free of trees by allowing animals to browse – thus naturally removing saplings. Clumps of dense undergrowth and woodland was favoured in some areas, to provide cover for hinds with fawns. Tall, straight oaks were valuable as building timber, so in other areas undergrowth was cleared so they could grow tall, with less competition for light. (Modern conservationists carry out a similar technique around important veteran oaks today.) But open spaces were essential in a sport where over a hundred riders could be in the field.

No! Modern Sherwood has lost as much of its heathland as it has woodland. In fact Nottinghamshire as a whole has lost over 80% of its lowland heath. So tree planting is only part of the answer.

Many don’t realise how heathland was a vital part of the medieval Royal Forest, or how vital it is for conservation and biodiversity today.

Conserving our vanishing lowland heath is important, because it supports species of bug, bird and beast that can live nowhere else. Important areas of heathland in modern day Sherwood Forest include Budby South Forest, cared for by the RSPB, and Oaktree Heath near Mansfield (also known as The Heathers) which is managed by a volunteer group who we support. Both are Sites of Special Scientific Interest because they’re a rare and threatened nature habitat.

Many assume that all that remains of ancient Sherwood Forest is the National Nature Reserve of that name near the village of Edwinstowe. Wrong!

Fragments of this ancient landscape still exist, scattered all over North and Mid Nottinghamshire. The remains of an ancient heathland can be found a stone’s throw from a modern superstore and housing estate. Visitors can still walk through the dale where Robin Hood reputedly met Friar Tuck, just a few hundred yards from a busy Mansfield college.

Whether it’s replacing felled conifers with native oak saplings, or taking out school children to help excavate the remains of a medieval royal hunting lodge, our projects focus on the ‘hidden’ Sherwood Forest – forgotten pieces of a green jigsaw.

No – that’s the RSPB, who built the new Visitor Centre at Forest Corner, Edwinstowe, one of the gateways to Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. Visitor information for the Centre is here https://www.visitsherwood.co.uk/

The RSPB aren’t just interested in birds. These days they work for the benefit of British wildlife and nature in all its forms.

The RSPB manages the woodland around the Visitor Centre, on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council. The Council leases the land from its owner – Thoresby Estate – so that the public can access and enjoy it.

The Sherwood Forest Trust charity does not own any land. However, we work with many people and organisations who do – from local farmers to councils and private estates.

Nottinghamshire County Council https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/

Nottingham City Council https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/

Newark & Sherwood District Council https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/

Mansfield District Council https://www.mansfield.gov.uk/

Ashfield District Council https://www.ashfield.gov.uk/

Bassetlaw District Council https://www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/

Gedling Borough Council https://www.gedling.gov.uk/

Edwinstowe Parish Council https://www.edwinstowe.co.uk/

Rufford Parish Council https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/ruffordpc/

National and local charities operating in Sherwood Forest:

• The RSPB (a national nature charity) www.rspb.org.uk runs Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre. It also manages the website specifically for the Visitor Centre and Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve www.visitsherwood.co.uk
• The National Trust (a national heritage charity which manages Clumber Park, one of the large former “Dukeries” estates of Sherwood Forest) www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clumber-park
• Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust manages over 40 woodland and nature sites within Sherwood Forest, which are both vital for local for wildlife and much loved by local people. Check out some great places such as the Idle Valley Visitor Centre. www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org
• The Woodland Trust www.woodlandtrust.org.uk A national charity promoting woodlands and woodland conservation.
• The Ancient Tree Forum www.ancienttreeforum.co.uk championing the protection of ancient trees nationally, for their biodiversity and cultural value.
• The Sherwood Forest Trust www.sherwoodforesttrust.org.uk is the ONLY charity entirely focussed on Sherwood Forest. We are an independent charity working only in Nottinghamshire, and not part of any larger national charity. We work for the benefit of both nature and local communities.

Forestry England (formerly the Forestry Commission) manages many commercial timber production sites within the Sherwood Forest area. www.forestryengland.uk

A division of Forestry England manages woodland areas for leisure and recreation, for example, Sherwood Pines Forest Park near Clipstone. https://www.forestryengland.uk/sherwood-pines There are many other Forestry England woodland sites where people can enjoy Sherwood Forest, including Thieves Wood, Blidworth Bottoms, Ollerton Pit Wood, Boundary Wood, Oxclose Wood, Pleasley Park and many more. https://www.forestryengland.uk/activities/walking-trails-and-routes

• Thoresby Estate – a private family trust – owns some of the most ancient and undisturbed parts of Sherwood Forest. https://whatsonatthoresby.co.uk/thoresby-estate/ Thoresby Courtyard is today a tourist attraction comprising craft businesses, a café and events. The historic village of Laxton, formerly part of the Crown Estate, is now a part of Thoresby Estate.
• Welbeck Estate is one of the traditional landed estates of the Nottinghamshire ‘Dukeries. Welbeck Abbey itself is a private home, but the estate hosts the Harley Gallery, The Portland Collection of art, the Artisan School of Food, and Welbeck Farm Shop.”