Sherwood Forest in the County of Nottinghamshire lays claim to a world famous tree, The Major Oak. It may well have harbored Robin Hood and his merry men, or perhaps people like them. Admirers from all over the world visit the beloved English oak, drawn by the legend.  

Two guests from the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve help describe why the tree is so special. One is Paul Cook, the Warden tasked with maintaining the woodland and the landscape. The other is the Sheriff of Nottingham, or, that is, Richard Townsley, a tour guide and local authority on Robin Hood. There’s an aura around this tree thanks to the legend, but the allure and lasting popularity of England's arboreal icon has become about so much more.  Click here for podcast.

Guests
Paul Cook
Warden
Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, RSPB

Richard Townsley
Tour Guide - Sheriff of Nottingham
Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, RSPB

Consulting Editor
David Still, II

Reader
Nigel Holmes
(excerpts from The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle, edited by Jonathan Kelley, The Townsend Press, Inc.)

Recorder Musicians
David Bor
Kim Wass

Recorder Music
"Light of love," Anonymous
"When that I was and a little tiny boy," anonymous Shakespearean stage tune
"When lo, by break of morning," Thomas Morley, 1595
"It was a lover and his lass," Thomas Morley, 1600
"Tres douce dame que j’aour," Guillaume de Machaut, 14th c.
"We Be Soldiers Three," Thomas Ravenscroft, 1609

Special thanks to:
Rob James, Sherwood Forest

Photo credit
Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, RSPB

Music
Diccon Lee, www.deeleetree.com

Artwork
Dahn Hiuni, www.dahnhiuni.com/home

Website
thisoldtree.show

Follow on
Facebook or Instagram

We want to hear about the favorite tree in your life! To submit a 1-3 minute audio story for consideration for the "Tree Story Short” segment on This Old Tree, record the story on your phone’s voice memo app and email to:
doug@thisoldtree.net

This episode was written in part at the What Cheer Writers Club, Providence, RI
https://whatcheerclub.spaces.nexudus.com/about