Back in June I spent a lovely weekend in the small village of Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire. I stayed at a lovely old coaching inn called The Forest Lodge which is about 5 minutes walking distance from the entrance to the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre.
The owners of The Forest Lodge were very welcoming and the quality of the service and food was exceptional. There is ample parking in the forecourt and the hotel lies almost opposite St. Mary’s Church, where legend states that Robin Hood married Maid Marian. I thoroughly recommend The Forest Lodge and hope to make another visit as soon as I can. Their website is at: http://www.forestlodgehotel.co.uk/main.html
Part 9 of Laurence's fabulous picture strip of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). To see previous pages, please click on the label below.
Back in March, Neil discovered three jigsaw puzzles from Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood. At the time we discussed the beautiful artwork and wondered who the artist was who painted these exquisite pictures. Well, I am pleased to say that Laurence has recently sent me yet another example of these 58 year old puzzles and an answer to our question!
Laurence said:
“I was just having a quick peep at your site and saw the images of three of the puzzles that were issued as a tie-in with the film. I thought you might like an image of the No. 1 in the series, Also, for your information, the artist for the artwork on the boxes and the puzzles themselves was Arnold Beauvais (1886-1982) who also illustrated the film tie-in book, which I am sure you are familiar with.
He also illustrated the film books for Disney's Treasure Island and Rob Roy, The Highland Rogue.”
Laurence has also very kindly sent me some information on the life of Arnold Beauvais, which I will post at a later date.
To see more memorabilia from Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men, please click on the Label Memorabilia below.
Joan Rice at the premier of Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men at the Leicester Square Theatre on Thursday 13th March 1952.
It’s time for a break. But before I go I would just like to say a big thank you to all of my regular readers and contributors. This blog has progressed beyond my wildest expectations and it is down to your regular input and encouragement that this has been achieved. Knowing you wonderful people are out there is a continual source of inspiration.
I will leave you all with one of my prize possessions and look forward to being back with you very soon.
Above is a picture I took of an ancient tree in Sherwood Forest a few weeks back. I can see the face and horns of Herne the Hunter amongst its gnarled bark and his arms seemed to be streched right out, almost protecting the woodland behind him!
If you would like to see more of Sherwood Forest, Wellow May Day and the old ruins of Haughton Chapel in Nottinghamshire, Albie has very kindly sent in a link to his video chanel on YouTube.
It can be found at:http://www.youtube.com/user/Albieinthewoods
Part 8 of Laurence's fabulous picture strip of Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). To see previous pages, please click on the label below.
Back in May of this year I posted a still from Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood, with an appeal for the names of the actors in the picture who played the outlaws. Thanks to Neil and Laurence I can now reveal three of the names, Ivan Craig, Ewen Solon and Geoffrey Lumsden.
Laurence informed me that Ivan Craig (1912-1944), during his career, had appeared in TV’s Claude Duval, (The Gay Cavalier) (1957) as Major Mould and also as Lord Blackheath alongside Roger Moore in Ivanhoe (1958-1959).
Geoffrey Lumsden (1914-1984) seems to have begun his lengthy profession as one of Robin’s men but, went on to appear in many classic TV series including Upstairs Downstairs, Harriet’s Back in Town, Bergerac, Special Branch, Edward and Mrs Simpson and the hilarious Dad’s Army as Captain Square. Lumsden also appeared in the Hammer movie The Horror of Frankenstein (1970) alongside former colleagues from Disney’s Story of Robin Hood, Joan Rice and James Hayter.
Geoffrey Lumsden
During my research I was amazed to find an official, fact filled web site, dedicated to Ewen Solon. It’s at http://www.ewensolon.com/ and is well worth a visit.
Ewen Solon
Robin Hood is inextricably linked with the May and Summer Games performed throughout England and Scotland during the 16th century. The surviving church wardens accounts reveal that Robin along with the ‘Maid’ Marian often took on the role of ‘King and Queen’ of the revels accompanied by Friar Tuck and the rest of the gang of merry men.
Sadly these traditional celebrations have been on the decline for many years, so I was thrilled to receive these pictures from Albie of the ‘May Day’ festival in his village of Wellow in Nottinghamshire. I feel it is very important that these ancient traditions survive.
Albie said:
“Basically, today was the 60th anniversary of the dancing returning after WW2. The old May queens were from 1950 through to last year’s representing each decade. The youngsters are all from the village I believe.
This tradition of the May Queen and dancing would have been well known to Robin Hood. There was a similar scene from the Robin of Sherwood TV series I believe. It is a tradition we must keep. So much has been lost, this cannot be left to fade into history, although I live 3 miles from Wellow this is the first time I have been to May Day since 1978 (I think). There were a massive number of people there today, more than is normal/ don’t know whether this is due to the Crowe film but good to see so many there.”
I travelled through Wellow quite recently, but alas didn’t have time to look around. The name Wellow is derived from the Anglo-Saxon ‘Wehag’ which means ‘enclosure by a well or spring’ and this idyllic village has many connections with Robin Hood.
According to the book 'Robin Hood and the Lords of Wellow' by Tony Molyneux-Smith, its unusually shaped village green holds more secrets than would appear at first glance. Although the green has changed over the centuries, as houses were built and the road to Eakring constructed, his book says that it is still possible to see that its original shape would have formed a perfect triangle - the shape of an arrow head - which points directly at the castle of the Sheriff of Nottingham!
Wellow was given permission to hold a market in 1268 and has one of only three permanent maypoles in England. Surviving records show that a maypole stood on the green in 1856 but the village tradition goes back much earlier and the local 12th century church celebrated this fact, when it recently commissioned a beautiful stained glass window of the Wellow maypole.
