The
Timekeepers first mission involves going back to 1214 England, actually
Nottingham to be precise. There, Amanda and her time traveling cohorts meet an
adolescent Robin Hood, although he is known as Robyn Hodekin to the people of
Nottingham. So here’s the rub—in The Last
Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, what’s myth and what’s made-up?
That’s when it’s up to the reader to seek the truth and dispel the lies.
Here’s
a little help:
Robin Hood—if
he did exist—was known by many names. Robyn Hode, Robert Earl of Huntingdon,
Robert Fitz Ooth, and Robert fitz Odo to name a few. The first written
references to our hero are brief. The earliest comes in the poem Piers Plowman, written in 1377 by the
London cleric William Langland. One of his characters, an idle priest, says in
passing, “I know the rhymes of Robin
Hood,” but that is all. The oldest surviving substantial account of Robin
Hood in his wider setting was printed in 1510, and is called A Geste of Robin Hood, the word Geste
probably meaning a tale of heroic exploits. BTW—“Robin Hood in Sherwood stood”
was one verse found preserved in a scrap of manuscript from Lincoln Cathedral,
and was dated around 1410.
Mortimer’s Hole—The
Mortimer and his hole in my story is fictional. The real Mortimer’s Hole is a
98 metre long man-made tunnel that takes you from the foot of castle rock up to
the Upper Bailey in the castle grounds. It is named after Roger Mortimer. On
the night of 19th October 1330 one of the most dramatic events in the history
of the castle took place when the supporters of 15 year old King Edward III
entered the castle through a secret passage —now named Mortimer's Hole. They
captured Queen Isabella and her lover, Roger Mortimer, who had usurped the
young King and were ruling England in his place. Mortimer was taken to London
where he was executed. Mortimer's Hole was probably used as a food chute in
medieval times.
Nottingham caves—Totally
factual! Beneath the houses, shops and offices of
Nottingham lie hundreds of caves. Few people in Nottingham are aware of this
labyrinth, which exists underneath the city streets, and fewer still have
visited them. Nottingham has more man-made caves than anywhere else in Britain.
People have worked and lived in them for over 1,000 years. None of these caves
were formed naturally. They were all cut into the sandstone by the city’s
inhabitants for use as houses, cellars and place of work. Each cave in unique
and created for a specific purpose, some have elaborate carvings, pillars and
staircases. Take a virtual tour if you dare: http://nottinghamcavessurvey.org.uk/
Knights Templar—
The
Knights Templar trace their origin back to shortly after the First Crusade.
Around 1119, a French nobleman, Hughes de Payens, collected eight of his knight
relatives, and began the Order, their stated mission to protect pilgrims on
their journey to visit the Holy Places. Knights of the Order
wore white mantles, assigned to the Templars in 1129 at the Council of Troyes
and surcoats quartered by a red cross, a symbol of martyrdom, probably added at
the start of the Second Crusade in 1147, and were heavily armored knights from
the aristocracy with war horses. Knights had to wear their white mantles as all
times, even when eating and drinking.
The Rockyard Inn—The
name is fictional. Much of the history of the Inn is very poorly recorded. An
archaeological dig in 1974 proved conclusively that the location of the
original Brewhouse could only be that of the caves of Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem,
the Inn that exists there presently. This established that the Castle Brewhouse
existed prior to 1189AD but the first dated reference is to be found is in the
records of the City Council for the year 1618. The parochial rights to the area
now known as the Brewhouse Yard did not in fact belong to the Castle but passed
backwards and forward over time between the Priory of Lenton, The Knights
Templar and the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem.
And please don't forget to enter my Rafflecopter contest for a chance to win some great prizes at the end of this month...
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And please don't forget to enter my Rafflecopter contest for a chance to win some great prizes at the end of this month...
Fascinating, Sharon. Lots of good stuff, and it's so interesting to see how and where authors use facts and history and blend them with fiction. Truly an art!!
ReplyDeleteLOL, thanks, Sara! I really love that part about what I write. Cheers!
DeleteWow, lots of interesting information all in one place, Sharon! Thanks for the history/legend lessons.
ReplyDeleteAnytime, Rita! Love melding fact with fiction!
DeleteYou make history and fiction fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm blushing now. Cheers for your kind words and support, Sloane!
Delete:-) Great information, Sharon. I live in the UK and I didn't know about the caves under Nottingham.
ReplyDeleteLOL! That's too funny, Amaleen! Perhaps I should have been a travel agent! Cheers for your support!
DeleteQuality write up keep it up, i will be one of your regular readers. If you’re searching appropriate and reflected holiday packages to India, We would inform to assure you that we will match any like for like quote, offer a distinctive approach to travel.To More Europe European Holidays
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support, Tuhin!
Deletei see you have a great post ! i hope you could make another one like this .. keep posting then. support services
ReplyDeleteThank you, Christopher! There's a blog hop next week with more prizes to win! Cheers!
Delete