Was Robin Hood born in Yorkshire?

A TEACHER claims to have found the birthplace of Robin Hood – and it would make him a Yorkshireman.

Dan Eaton believes an ancient marker stone and carved cross he discovered behind the playground of Loxley Primary School in Sheffield marks the cottage where the legendary folk hero was born.

His revelation is made in his book, Reclaiming Robin Hood, which is sponsored by Sheffield Council as part of a campaign to ‘bring Robin home’.

Hallamshire – an old name for Sheffield – was mentioned in medieval legend as Robin’s birthplace. And ancient records have come to light stating the outlaw, Robin of Loxley, was born at Little Haggas Croft, Loxley, in around 1160.

Co-author Dr David Clarke, of Sheffield Hallam University, said: ‘Loxley, in Hallamshire, was identified as Robin’s birthplace in two historical sources that date from the early 17th century.’

There are now calls for a statue depicting Robin as a young boy to be built in the suburb as part of Sheffield’s increasingly popular Robin Hood tourist trail.

But the book hasn’t gone down well in Nottingham, which has long claimed the outlaw as its own. Current Sheriff of Nottingham Merlita Bryan said: ‘Robin Hood is as much from Sheffield as Jarvis Cocker is from Nottingham. Everyone knows his arch rival wasn’t the Sheriff of Sheffield.’