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Online Catalogue > Articles > Robin Hood

Robin Hood - a shot in the arm for party themes

There is a wide selection of fancy dress costumes available in our 'Robin Hood' section and our Medieval section both found in our collection of costumes in 'Through the Ages'.

Every year the people of Nottinghamshire in England celebrate the life and times of one of the world's most famous outlaws - Robin Hood with a week long festival of events. Naturally enough these are held in Sherwood Forest home of the outlaw and his followers.

Stories of Robin Hood and his exploits have been around for 700 with one of the earliest written references being a poem dating from 1400 which is today preserved in the library of Lincoln Cathedral. The poem, written originally in Old English, translates to 'Robin Hood in Sherwood stood, hooded and hated and hosed and shod. Four and twenty arrows he bore in his hands'. Here we clearly see the link between Robin Hood the outlaw and Sherwood Forest.

Robin Hood became a popular figure of his time and joined a group of characters which included the likes of the Randolf Earl of Chester, Guy of Gisbourne and Havelock the Dane who frequently were the subjects of early ballads performed by travelling minstrels. Given the lack of written communication and recorded fact, it is more than likely that these and other characters became interposed with each other and that the result was something away from reality.

As with all forms of storytelling, the more these ballads and stories were passed around the more likely it is that they became embroidered by the storyteller into something even more fanciful and entertaining. Given the conditions of the time it is likely that people invented the hero they sought.

Did Robin Hood actually exist? No-one knows for sure and it is a topic that historians still passionately debate. Given the natural need to be able to believe in a hero figure and you only need to look to the popularity and frequency of Robin Hood films to see that this need has transcended the ages, we want Robin to have existed.

There have been several candidates for the job….There are stories of a Robert Hod, a tenant of the Archbishop of York. On being summoned to appear before York Assizes in 1225/26 he fled and became, according to record a fugitive and outlaw. Or, there was a Robert Hood who was claimed by a Victorian historian to be the real Robin Hood. Robert Hood is recorded in royal household records as being a servant to Edward II. Then later the same name appears later in court records in Wakefield said to have been one of Robin Hood's homes

There have been several candidates for the job….There are stories of a Robert Hod, a tenant of the Archbishop of York. On being summoned to appear before York Assizes in 1225/26 he fled and became, according to record a fugitive and outlaw. Or, there was a Robert Hood who was claimed by a Victorian historian to be the real Robin Hood. Robert Hood is recorded in royal household records as being a servant to Edward II. Then later the same name appears later in court records in Wakefield said to have been one of Robin Hood's homes

What is known is the fact that 'Robinhood' became a nickname applied in court records to identify an outlaw, and it is believed by some to provide the derivation for the word 'Hood' meaning gangster or outlaw.

Maid Marion Fuller Cut Fancy Dress Costume

It is doubtful that we ever know if Robin Hood the outlaw existed in real life. What is undeniable however is the fact that the popularity of the character of Robin Hood and what he has come to represent is as great today as it ever was.

There have been a considerable number of films made about Robin Hood and of course, like the ballads of the time, these have each added to and moulded the character into what we each perceive him to be today. And it is this popularity with the common man that make Robin Hood such a brilliant fancy dress party theme for either indoors or outside. Although you may not be able to get to Sherwood Forest to join the official celebrations why not visit Karnival Costumes, order your Robin Hood or beautiful Maid Marion fancy dress costumes and raise a glass of ale to the true hero of Sherwood. Here's to Robin Hood.

And don't forget we have downloadble .pdf brochures which details the majority of our gangster range - note that as we are continually adding new costumes and accessories, these brochures may not have every product listed.......

Online Catalogue > Articles > Robin Hood