Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest & stories from an English bowman 

"Robin Hood's grandad!" Hahaha... That is absolutely priceless, and incredibly quick thinking! And this theory about Robert the Bruce... fascinating. Thank you so much, as always, Kevin. You are a national treasure. 👍👍

I was an Arb Officer for Notts County Council and used to do inspections on Sherwood's veteran oaks and all of nearby Rufford Abbey's trees. The Major Oak was always a contentious topic, as it would have been a collapsed pile if not for all the props under the sweeping ground level branches and shite used to fill the cavities. The fence was erected because of soil compaction over the root plate from thousands of visitors annually. We had to inject nitrogen gas at high pressure into the soil to loosen it back up.

I too stood inside the Major Oak when I was a kid and imagined I was Robin Hood hiding from the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. I wonder how many kids have done so? I finally got round to taking up the English Longbow at the age of 58 a couple of years back and I feel like a youth again😁. Great to hear your story.

The legends of Sir Kevin Hicks are interwoven with the legends of Robin Hood. So, they both live on; and so it should be. Thank you so much!

Currently lying in a cold tent for the battle of Hastings telling my fellow Vikings all about your RU-vid channel and how amazing your stories are!

At 7:55, Kevin used the word, "immersed." That sums up perfectly what happens to me with the stories that he tells. Listening to Kevin relating his experiences in life is, without a shadow of doubt, a great pleasure. "Thank you," Kevin, the pleasure is all OURS!

My great great great uncle was killed by an arrow at the battle of big horn. He was on holiday camping in the field nearby and ask them to keep the noise down 😅😅

I was watching a "Time Team" video the other day about a WW1 training area and they showed a range warning sign "Beyond this point you are not trespassing you are a live target"

My wife and I attended many Robin Hood Festivals and have become friends with many of the acts. Our daughter even performed there on many occasions with Bill Brookman. When we started it was a full week, since Covid it's now each week-end during August.

"Kevin the Cannibal" priceless 😁

Hi Kevin! Thanks to the Patreons for providing us poor sods with great Kevtent! ;)

Many thanks for not only giving us an Archery story again, but for talking about the archer which most likely inspired archers for centuries. And I love your stories about your time in Sherwood forest. I want some sequels 😁

Thank you again for another great video Mr Hicks, I really enjoy your insights, especially in regards to Longbow Archery. Thank you for keeping history alive. 🤝

Kevin, regarding the child incident: I was a western re-enactor for 32 years, and we would always demonstrate the power of the blank cartridges before the actual display. One of our members would always say, "Does anyone have any children with them? If you do, make sure they hold your hand, so you don't get too scared!" That always used to crack me up!

These films of Kevin “the cannibal” Hicks telling his personal Stories are the absolute Best Videos!!!! He has such enthralling, hilarious stories!!

Your archery never ceases to amaze me, and I laughed out loud when you revealed you ate grandpa! Ha! fantastic! Love your videos, can't wait for the next!

Thanks Kev for those entertaining stories from the rich tapestry of your life. I would reinforce the safety message for any event that uses weapons whether you are a participant or spectator. Once when enjoying a medieval display at Hadleigh castle in Essex, an over exuberant Knight decided to flamboyantly release his sword as he died, spinning in the air and embedding itself in the ground blade first about 10m from me and my son, sitting at the front of the crowd. Another occurence many many years ago from a display n the 1970s, I was a participant in a Napoleonic skirmish, where a fellow redcoat had somehow blocked the barrel of his Brown Bess musket with mud. When fired it exploded in his face. We turned around at the sound of this much louder bang, to see him manically laughing, surrounded in smoke. He emerged ok but the result was hundreds of tiny indentations on his face from the burning powder. I also heard about an incident where a ramrod had been left in the barrel mid loading, and consequently fired from the musket like a javelin...thankfully no one injured apparently. Always take responsibility for your own safety!

Is there anywhere you haven't worked? Lichfield Cathedral, Warwick Castle, a policeman, Sherwood Forest etc so on and so on. You are like the Forest Gump of England, and I love your amazing stories.

Brilliant as always. My youngest son has been firmly bitten by the archery bug. He shoots for hours in the backyard. I've shared your videos with him and he's now been bitten by the History Squad bug as well. Keep em coming Kevin, cheers

Great vid as always Kev, as a Nottingham local and a regular visitor of the forest in my Youth, I used to love hearing you speak and watching you shoot! (And then trying and failing) to replicate it at the archery stations! Makes me gutted I never took it up as a hobby, though It is something im looking at now I'm a tad older!

Kevin, I have watched your videos from your days at the castle for years and always enjoyed watching you shoot and listen to your stories. I have also shot a longbow and recurve bow for some 60 years since I was ten as my childhood hobby into senior years, and still enjoy shooting! Please keep telling your stories from Warwick Castle so I can enjoy listening to them! Keep up the great work your doing!

Hi Kevin. I was fortunate enough to visit Sherwood forest in 2018 during a holiday in England (I live in Australia). I had wanted to see the Major Oak for a long time and it didn't disappoint. We went in the early evening when there was hardly anyone around and it was magical. Of course, I had to hug a tree!

Robin Hood was my hero as a child. You are now that I'm an old(er) man. Thanks, Kevin!

Given how these near accidents almost happened to you in a modern age, you have to wonder how often such accidents happened on weekly archery day in medieval times...

Thank you for sharing these memories Kevin, wonderful how you paint such a vivid picture and bring the past alive. I'm currently reading Robert Hardy's book 'Longbow' in which he talks about the legendary battles of Crecy and Agincourt. Watching your videos about these battles and others just puts everthing in to perspective, simply brilliant.

I love the story. My husband used to bow hunt. I would watch him practice. I told our children that if an arrow will kill a deer it will kill you. Now my grandson is learning to bow hunt.

I have great memories walking through Sherwood forest as a child with my grandad finding mushrooms and seeing you there as Robin Hood 🏹 I was at the forest recently and I was gutted with what they've done to the place now, the majority of it is fenced off now, with a set walkway through it and the old car parks gone

the little girl story is my biggest fear with any weapons demonstrations, thank you for including it especially as you suffered more than the parents and girl did… and those are beautiful pieces if pottery, glad to see that they hold a special place with you

At one time I helped at a camping with kids who wanted to do archery. Arrows with huge suction cups, 5 yards from the target. Great fun, but I also had kids walk through the line of fire completely oblivious of what was going on. My best shooter was a tiny girl, can't have been over 6, who initially was really timid. Challenged her a bit to put her back into it and set her feet as she should, and she shot straight 10's.

Thanks Kevin. The story is very entertaining. The people getting in the wrong place at the wrong time, fortunately were not injured, people do strange things, don't they. So, Grandad Hood, be well, and keep shooting. Cheers from Texas.

I always look forward to seeing one of your new videos in my feed, this one did not disappoint! Cheers

Kevin, thank you for presenting the history of the story of Robin Hood. It was very interesting and the little girl near the target brought me to my own story of bows and arrows. When I was a kid I used to enjoy riding the narrow gauge train that went around Knotts Berry Farm Amusement Park until, one day while I was enjoying the ride an arrow came through the window. It seems that there was a bow and arrow shooting range had open up along the route of the train so that, any of the misses might hit the train's passenger cars and could hit people. I finished my riding of the train that very day. My mom mentioned the problem to the authorities who ran Knott's at the time but, nothing was accomplished by explaining the danger people were in. It might still be that way today; I don't know as I haven't visited Knott's Berry since my Grandparents and myself celebrated their 62nd. wedding anniversary in 1982. Arrow shooting, rifles or pistols ALWAYS make certain of your backstop and NEVER shoot at anything you don't intend to destroy / kill.

10:50 Prince of Thieves forever holds a special place in my heart. My parents met the opening night at one of the theaters in my town. If it weren't for that movie, I wouldn't be here today.

😂 Kevin the cannibal, brilliant stories as always 😊

Hi Kevin! Good video. There is a huge oak in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that my cousins, friends and I used to climb on. One day, 7 of us decided to see if we could measure the circumference of the tree. We were all full grown, in our late teens or early 20s. We grasped each other's hands and tried to encircle the tree. We couldn't quite do it, stretch as we might! The limbs were so large that you could easily walk on them without fear of falling. The canopy spread about 100 ft., and at the edge came close enough to the ground that you could climb up on them. In fact, that was the only way to get up in the tree. I haven't been there in years and I hope it's still there. Do you ever shoot at the wand? I've read that it was required of every Englishman that he must spend a certain amount of time doing it to insure that there were enough skilled archers available. What is the draw weight of your long bow? I primarily shoot with a 58 inch double recurve bow with a draw weight of 50 lbs. For a backstop I use a bale of hay about 2 feet square and 3 feet long. Some times the arrows go clean through the bale, which is quite dense, and deep into the wooden fence behind the target. Every spring there is a Renaissance festival called Scarborough Fair about 90 miles from where I live. They have some really cool stuff and good food and ale, plus jousting, sword fights, minstrels and other entertainment. I get a season pass and go every weekend for the 6 weeks that it is open. Have a great weekend Kevin!

Hand salute Sgt Hicks. What a great channel. Please keep up the great work!

I was addicted to the Robin Hood stories as a child. My sister wanted to be Maid Marion when we played; I was always Robin Hood, lol, tomboy and proud of it. My great grandmother would have loved the idea of Robert the Bruce as Robin Hood. Pretty sure hubby decided to marry me 34 years ago when I came over and helped him butcher a deer he had shot with a long bow. When I was a kid we lived in Brownsville, Texas. It’s full of natural canals which flood when hurricanes come through and the electric would go out. My mother needed to wash diapers and the laundromat down the street was open…and our house was across the canal from a cemetery. She forgot there was a big dip at the bottom of the hill where our house was…had basket of diapers on her head and went under. Diapers floated away in the basket. She came up spluttering and yelling “I drank dead people!” And pawing at her tongue. We thought it was hysterical; she was not amused. The horn story gave me chills…wonderful.

Wow robin hoods grandad is ageing well .loved your tales no big headed stuff just plain fact with a tweak of fun 😊

Great story, neighbour. Always one of my heroes, was Robin, glad I was given that middle name, and glad I am also an archer, named my son the same, and tried to get him into it.... but maybe.... maybe he will love it eventually.

Great stories. Thank you. Your an 🇬🇧English Hero🇬🇧 in your own right.

Wow a rare morning off. Treated with a new offering from my favourite historian. Cheers. History Squadees!!

Hi Kev! A truly great video mate.....again! I loved all the stories of you shooting and shooting myself, I really appreciate just how good you are. Food for thought too about who Robin Hood actually was or could have been. 🤔🤔. I also know what you mean about people not realising quite how dangerous a longbow can be!! People who have come into the huge store where I shoot have been amazed at the power of my bow (only 52#) and how the arrows thud into the target to a depth of 6-8". That forest atmosphere must have been amazing with all the re-enactors etc doing their stuff. Must have been like stepping back in time!! Anyway, again, a fantastic video mate. My best to you and Julie, Dave.

Of all your videos, my favorites are always the ones you share personal stories. You're a truly interesting guy, Kev! Thanks for keeping us entertained and for enlightening us with your knowledge.

I was introduced to Robin Hood via the Walt Disney film with the anthropomorphised animals, I credit that film and Disney's The Sword in the Stone as sparking my interest in not just medieval history but possibly my interest in history as a whole.

This channel always helps me fall asleep, that not to say the content is bad, its just perfect for that and relaxing

That story about Robin Hood’s granddad reminds me of the scene in ‘ Battle of Britain ‘ where the young boy says to Ian McShane ‘ You’re not a fighter pilot, only officers fly spitfires, what about your top button? Anybody can do that ! ‘ Always love your videos.

Glad to hear some good stories about Robin Hood and sherwood forest 10 times better than that new Robyn hood series i saw. Also that theory of Robert the Bruce being Robin Hood sound plausible to me. Back then one could disappear and come back with a new name and life.

Wonderful tales worthy of the Major Oak. Love how you turned the doubting boy around. The horn call and answer must have given everyone a thrill. I loved doing magic campfires as a cubscout leader.

Kevin, as always I was “immersed” with your story. . Always great to listen to and watch. Many thanks.

That was excellent; I really do enjoy your personal stories. The boy you spoke of in the beginning, at least he didn't make you want to physically assault him. Thanks.

I would enjoy visiting Sherwood Forest and it looks like a beautiful place to go

Absolutely amazing!

Kevin's alternative method of experiencing the past, first hand.

These are really great inspiration for table top role playing games. Thanks for your hard work and many videos! Love the on-site visits to castles and your great observations the most

Oh man what Stories, could listen all day to this

It is always mighty fine to hear your life stories and the part about the ashes is priceless 😀

Thanks Kevin, you're awesome and very special.

That was fascinating Kevin, could listen to your stories for the whole evening 😁

Kevin, THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH ANOTHER GREAT PRESENTATION. YOU HAVE THIS FABULOUS GIFT TO TELL A STORY & KEEP ONES INTEREST TO EVERY WORD! WHAT A HISTORIAN! KUDOS FROM LANCASTER, PA, USA👍🏹 John

you never fail to delight Kevin.

This is great! But oh my, when the little girl ran up........my heart sank...... wow.....

Just wanted to say that your videos bring me peace and calm at night. It’s very hard being autistic and all, so you and your videos mean a lot to me. It makes my life a little more bearable. Keep up the amazing work. Even get someone to help you with production, so you can churn out more videos. Thanks a bunch! : )

So many moments in this video my eyes were wide open in shock!!!! Kevin the cannibal!! 👀👀😆

Oh boyo!! Kevin, Robert the Bruce is my absolute favorite person from the at time period! I first heard his name in the movie about William Wallace and for some reason I was drawn. I’ve done a great deal of research trying to learn all I could. But the idea of Robert the Bruce may have been Robin Hood? Never made that connection at all! I do so love what you do and I love even more that you share it for free. There’s not much left that’s free AND fabulous…..but always you, Kevin! Thank you! ❤️🐈

Love this video, already grinning after the first story..

I really appreciate what you do!!! Thank you!

Greetings once again from nova Scotia, that was awesome, hilarious. You had me in stiches, I got to learn a little bit more about a favorite folk tale. I absolutely enjoyed this video, you are an extraordinary man, cheers, Arthur

Love your stories Sir Hicks! Legend!

I am so surprized me or a friend never got impaled by an arrow as a kid. I remember we were literally shooting arrows at each other and using some flimsy thin pieces of plywood with a cross painted on it as a shield. Those were the days! These video are great,so is Prince of theives!

Very interesting, I visited the Major Oak way back in the 1970s, but later in the 80s I was an instructor at an ACF camp near by. And we had a fantastic time.

Same thing happened to me once, with a small child running to the target just as I was about to lose - scary, very scary

Where's the goatee beard Kev! Loving these stories pal.

KEVIN HICKS A TRUE HISTORIAN LOVE HISTORY !!! ...

I'd go so far as to say, Kevin you are a legend.

Robin Hood was my favorite as a kid. When I was 4 I came from Canada to England to visit my dad's family. I used to play Robin hood in my aunties garden with homemade bow and arrows . Great channel 👏 👍

Thank you Kevin for sharing such an interesting and funny personal experience. The kid “driving the #11 bus” made me laugh out loud!! Hilarious!! And I love the accent you add in. Brilliant! 😂

Remember some of the stories from Warwick. Happy Days ❤ Camping weekends at Stratford race course and days at the castle. No matter what the weather it was always fun watching you.

I love opening youtube to see you have a new video out.

Love your life experiences Mr. Hicks! They are certainly brilliant!!!❤️

I enjoyed those tales, Kevin. I used to do have a go at the Major Oak with my Archery club Forest Bowmen.

Excellent!I In Civil War Re-enacting we have had people on the battlefield, walking in front of the loaded cannon who had no business being there. When I do living histories, I usually just talk -black powder is a little more expensive than arrow repair. However, I bring out the revolvers, and give non-loading demonstrations of how they were loaded. The next two days, I will be carrying all the gear in the field: Navy carried cutlass, pistol and musket

OMG That must've been frightening! Glad you saw her in time! Love your site. Today I'm on this account, but I am always watching regardless of which of my accounts I post! Love ya as always!

10:10 Yeah...I guessed it before you mentioned it! hahaha Our family did the same with the ashes of my grandmother...we put her ashes under the most beautiful tree we could find in the graveyard...she loved plants, flowers, etc...

I always enjoy these videos! Any content Kev throws up on RU-vid I devour them!

That ashes story was a hoot. Until now, I didn’t know what our fearless storyteller’s connection to history was. I used to live in Nottingham in the timeframe mentioned, but never went to the oak. I’d heard of it, I just didn’t know there were fairs and archery demonstrations, otherwise I would have made more of an effort.

A true gem. Thank you

Hello from Lancashire England, in brinscall there is a shed called “Frye tuck’s office” and its full of longbows for the archery club… as kids out of respect we didn’t mess around with them.

I’m not english, but I really love traditional archery, specially the longbow, because of you! Thanks a lot mr. Hicks!

Brilliant Kevin

Flitting through the forest to Ollerton on a bright, crisp Autumn morning. Mist wreathing the trees and the golden sun; ferns oaks evergreens Ahhhh you had to be there...

When I was 10 or so, I was in my school's library and I came across the book, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. I read it over the weekend and loved it. I tried archery in Phys Ed back in high school and enjoyed it, but I was never very good at it. I qualified as a Marksman when I was in the Royal Canadian Navy but I'm still terrible with archery haha. Another great video Kevin, keep up the good work sir. Cheers!

Thanks so much again Kevin. Love these stories of yours.

5:13 😂 Brilliant as always. Thanks for the great vid, Kevin!

We run "have a go" archery sessions at Chirk Castle every year, and *every year* we get people crossing the barrier behind the targets. We set the barrier about 100 yards behind the target, and the arrows the public use rarely go any further than about 40 yards - and that would have to be a really bad shot! But we still have to stop shooting until we can stop them and then them around.

KEVIN YOU ARE A GREAT STORY TELLER !!! ...

Storytelling at its best!

Excellent and fascinating. Really enjoyed this. My Gran was Aussie and Scottish 'by demolition', as she was fond of reminding. Robbie The Bruce was her hero and don't dare mention Wallace or the 'demolition' bit was brought to life through my barely 5 foot, fire-breathing loyalist Gran. 😬 She would have loved this. Thank you!

Wonderful Kevin! Thank you so very much for your time and your stories.

Kevin the Cannibal. What a nickname.

Thanks for the video Kevin!