19. (Robin Hood &) the Prioress of Kirklees, and Roger of Doncaster.
Everyone knows the story of Robin Hood's death through the treachery of the Prioress of Kirklees and her friend Sir Roger of Doncaster. In our discovery that Robin Hood matches Roger Godberd we also found matches for this part of the story too.
Sir Roger of Doncaster or Red Roger of Doncaster who caused Robin Hood's death seems to match with Reginald de Grey in the Roger Godberd records.
Reginald de Grey (1238-1308) was Roger Godberd's constant rival throughout his life (1238-1293). At first they were friends but after Evesham they were on opposite sides. Reginald was on the royalist side at Evesham. De Grey was "a great military leader", the Sheriff, and was constable/justice of Chester. Benison said that "it was he who caused Roger Godberd's downfall". We have already shown in the Sheriff of Nottingham that Reginald de Grey matches Ranulf earl of Chester of Robiin Hood tradition, and maybe also Reynold Greenleaf, which shows that the similar transformation of "(royalist) sheriff Reg(inald) de Grey king's constable of Chester/castle (son of John de Grey) slayer of Roger Godberd" into "Red Roger of Donkesly/Doncaster/Dankestere" is quite possible. (Remember that we are dealing with outlaws nicknames, folk memory traditions and licentious balladists, and we have shown evidences of quite a lot of other similar such names alterations throughout this book.) There were also persons with that name in Godberd's times, eg Rogero de Doncastr' 1264-8, (Sir) Roger de Doncaster/Denecastre/Donecastre (1266-79, Giffard records), Roger de Doncaster (Nott, 1267-70).
The only other canidates for Roger of Doncaster in the extant Godberd records are Roger de Leukmore (1272), Roger de Burghill (1275), Robert le Lou (knight, lands in Northamptonshire, 1264/1287), or Roger de Remes (1266), but they dont have anywhere near as much matches as Reginald de Grey does.
For the Prioress of Kirklees who was "of near kin" to Robin Hood, the only major likely matches we can see in the known extant Godberd records is either Diva the "sister" or daughter of Roger Godberd in 1258, or the parson of Schirlond in 1264/1287. If the mentioned Diva was also called "de Swaninton" then this might be the origin of the traditional "de Stainton" surname of the prioress? There is also a convent at Garendon mentined in the 1266 record. However, it ight be more likely that the "prioress of Kirklees" matches the parson of Schirlond who we have also shown may match Friar Tuck. Some stories say RH was murdered by a monk rather than by a prioress.
It is our opinion that Robin Hood's grave may be under Major Oak nearby Edwinstowe not far from Rufford where Godberd was active.
"Kirklees" or "Churchlees" or "Bircklies" could be from either Quercus "oak" + lea, or from the church at Edwinstowe, or from Cuckney &/or The Lings or Leyfields near Edwinstowe, or from Kirklond/Birkland(s) which area these places are located in. (Compare Kirklees/Bircklies & Schirlond & Kirklond/Birkland(s). Perhaps also compare Kirton Schidrintune, and/or Shirley Wood in Barnsdale?) There was also a Sheriff Walter de Stirclerle/Stirkelegh 1274 close to the time when Godberd died. (Robin Hood traditionally died in 1247 or 1274. Roger Godberd died in either 1276 or 1293.)
Robin Hood is variously said to have been buried under a stone (Grafton, Sloane ms, Camden's Britannia, Johnston, Thoresby/Leodiensis, Gough, 1789), or a tree, or a cross/rood (eg Geste, Grafton, Camden's Britannia, Grafton, Johnston), or a wardrobe, or by a highway/road (Sloane, Grafton), or in a cave, and a tree is the most likely one fitting the nature of his stories.
Traditions say about Major Oak that "RH is supposed to have hidden in it", and that it was "RH's shelter/hideout", and is "where he & his merry men slept" which could really mean that it is where he was buried. Major Oak is ca 800 yrs old and "would have been a sappling at the time of Robin Hood" or is supposed to have been "a full grown tree" then, and thus it might have been planted over RH's grave then, or RH could have been buried near/by/under it? Compare that the "slain deer" hidden in the other tree RH's Larder might be Guy of Gisbourne's grave? We have already mentioned in chapter 1 how Robin's name might be from robur "oak" since the name Robin Hood first appears around about the time of Godberd's death.
Note also that Edwinstowe's name means Edwin's + stowe "resting place", and it is supposed that "Edwin's body was taken through the forest to Edwinstowe" and is "hidden in the church". Kirklees is near Mirfield and Huddersfield, and Edwin fought in the battle of Hatfield Chase 630/633 and died at the battle of Cocboy/Maserfield/"Mirfield" in 642/644.
It is likely that Kirklees is from quercus "oak" + lea. Howard Pile said that the door at Kirklees was of "mighty oak" (compare "Major Oak"). The kirk- could also match that Robin Hood's chapel of Mary Magdalene may have also been in the area of Major Oak "in the heart of Sherwood", or at the church of St Mary in Edwinstowe. (Local tradition says Robin Hood married Maid Marian in Edwinstowe church. This "marriage" with Mary could alternatively relate to his dying?)
As we said in the Little John chapter, it is possible that Little John and maybe also others of the Merry Men might also be buried in the same place. One of the theories to explain the huge size and odd shape of Major Oak is that it might be more than one tree fused together as saplings. The traditions say "where he & his merry men slept". Stories imply the Little John never went far from RH's grave after RH's death. John Deyville died only a couple/few years after Roger Godberd. "Hathersedge/Hathersage/Hathershead/Hathersuch/Hatherchurch" where Little John's grave is supposed to be could be from "at the quercus/oak" (Major Oak), or "at the church/kirk" (RH's chapel or the church of Edwinstowe), or "Hatfield chase" (of Edwin). GC Harvey might have known since he said many laid "beneath the mighty oaks"?
Edwinstowe is also connected with "Hatfield chase near Doncaster", which might recall "Roger of Doncaster" the prioress of Kirklees' pal who was involved in RH's murder?
Note that the other usually assumed Robin Hood's grave at Kirklees near Huddersfield is unlikely for various reasons including that it is not likely that Robin Hood traveled so far out of the forest.
RH is supposed to have died on '24 calends December' or "(1)8th of November" in 1247 or 1274 aged 87. Godberd is said to have died in 1276 or on the 13th of Nov in 1293 (aged 38 or 55). Thats almost the exact same day and month date being only 5 days out. (Also, "the 9th day of December in the 51st year of his reign (1266)" is mentioned in the trial of Godberd (1275), and the 57th year of the king in Foliot's one in 1272.)
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Other earlier and later Roger of Doncaster candidates have included: Roger de Doncaster 1301/1309; Dean of Doncaster 1324 Hampole (near Skelbrooke); Roger of Doncaster 1327/1333; "Hampole, Doncaster"; there is a Doncaster lane near Skelbrooke; Roger de Bangwell rector of Dronfield in Doncaster 1366; Red haired/headed Neville family (Graham Kirkby); Skelbrooke church was owned by Nevilles in 1872 (red heads).
Other canidates for RH's grave have included: Fitzodo's/"Godberd's" grave at Loxley in Staffordshire; RH's Crosse (Derby, 1319/1399); Robert Butler pressed to death in 1294; 'RH's Stone' at Slephil / Sleep Hill fields near Skellbrook/Hampole; "RH's grave" at Kirklees near Huddersfield; Crosby Ravensworth.
Other candidates for Kirklees/Kirkby/Bircklies/Churchlees have included: church of Loxley (manor granted to Kenilworth priory 1253); Kirklees/Kuthelaga/Kirkleghes/Herkelea near Huddersfield (1198); Kirkby/Pontefract; Margaret Kirkby (Hampole); Church Field Road (&/or Leys Lane) nearby Hampole priory (& conventual church) & South Kirkby; Ponden Kirk/Holden Park; Berkeley Castle; Kirk-o-Fields.
Other candidates for the prioress of Kirklees have included: Dame Mary Startin; Elizabeth (de) Stainton de Wooley; The Highgate vampire.
Examples of famous trees in RH and other similar stories: The Cross; Broceliande; Herne's Oak; Bishop's Tree; Trystel tree; Major Oak; RH's Larder; Parliament Oak; Sherwood trees inscriptions.