Sherwood Forest

Sherwood Forest consists of the remnants of an ancient Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, in the East Midlands region of England. It is associated with the legend of Robin Hood. The forest was proclaimed by William the Conqueror and mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. The reserve has the highest concentration of ancient trees in Europe.

Today, Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve encompasses 424.75 hectares (1,049.6 acres), surrounding the village of Edwinstowe and the site of Thoresby Hall. The reserve contains more than a thousand ancient oaks which are known to be more than 500 years old, with the Major Oak being twice that age.

Sherwood originally was named Sciryuda in 958 AD, meaning the "woodland belonging to the shire". Its name is derived from its status as the shire (or sher) wood of Nottinghamshire, which extended into several neighbouring counties (shires), bordered to the west by the River Erewash and the Forest of East Derbyshire.

Sherwood Forest is within an area which used to be called "Birch Lund", which is Viking in origin, now known as Birklands.

The area has been wooded since the end of the Last Glacial Period (as attested by pollen sampling cores). This was about 10,000 years ago.

Evidence of flint tools have shown use in Sherwood Forest by prehistoric hunter gatherers. During the Iron Age and Roman periods human habitation and farming was common. In the 9th century farming made an impact on Sherwood's landscape.

During Roman Britain various camps were discovered in parts of Sherwood Forest. It is to this that two remains of Roman villas were identified in nearby Mansfield Woodhouse by Major Hayman Rooke in 1787.

Sherwood Forest was first recorded as being named Sciryuda in 958 AD.