The earliest recorded place-name incorporating the name of the ballad hero is found in the charters of Monk Bretton Priory:

Grant by John Jube of Wrangbrok and Richard Jubbe of Upton to John Pullene of Wrangbrok of a tenement in Wrangbrok built as it lies between the cottage of the nuns of Hampole on the west and the land of Peter de la Hay on the east, and extends to the beck of the said vill towards the south together with 12 acres of arable land lying in (fo. 182d) the fields and territory of Wrangbrok, Slepill and Skelbrok; whereof one acre lies in Haverlands between the land of John Bargan on the north and the land of the monks of Bretton on the south, and a rood of land lies in the same field between the land of John Jubbe on the west and the land of John Wodward on the east, another half acre lies in Mykilffurland between the land of William Lord on the west and the land of the said monks on the east, one rood lies in the same culture between the land of the said monks on the west and the land of William Shepherd on the east, another half acre lies in Le Estfield between the land of William Bargan on either side, and one rood lies in the same culture between the land of John Jubbe on the west and the land of the said monks on the east, half a rood lies in the same field between the land of the said monks on either side, one acre [lies] in the same culture between the land of John Haitfield on the west and the land of John Wodward on the east, half an acre lies in the same culture between the land of William Lord on the west and the land of William Bargan on the east, one acre lies between the land of the said monks on the north and the land of John Adamson on the south, half an acre lies in the same field between the land of William Bargan on the north and the land of the said monks on the south, one acre lies in the same culture between the land of the prioress of Hampall on the north and the land of William Lord on the south , half an acre lies in the same field between the land of the said monks on either side, half an acre lies in Slephill between the land of the said prioress on the west and the land of Richard Slephill on the east and abuts on the Lynges of Skelbrok, half an acre lies in the same field between the land of John Adamson on the west and the land of the prioress on the east and abuts on Le Lynges aforesaid, half an acre lies in the same culture between the land of William Lord on the west and the land of Reginald Pullayne on the east and abuts on the aforesaid Lynges and upon the stone of Robert Hode+ towards the north, an acre (fo. 183) lies in the same field between the land of the said prioress on the west and the common land on the east and abuts upon their (the grantors') land towards the north, half an acre lies in the same field between the land of William Calthorn on the south and the land and the land of the lord of Skelbrok on the north and abuts on their (the grantors') land towards the west, half an acre lies in the same field between the land of William Calthorn on the north and the land of the said lord on the north (sic) and abuts on the King's highway towards the east, half an acre lies between the land of William Calthorn on the north and the land of John Janyn on the south and abuts on the same highway on the east,* to hold and to have to the said John Pulayne for his life, freely, quietly, etc., from the chief lords of that fee, by the services due and accustomed, rendering thence yearly to the lord of Burghwaleis 5d. and to the prior of Bretton 3s. 7d. And after the death of the said John, remainder to John his son and the heirs of his body; and if he shall die without such heir, remainder to the right heirs of John Polayne for ever. Witnesses, John Wentworth of Elmesall, William Lorde of Wrangbrok, Richard de Wrangbrok, and others. Dated at Wrangbrok, Sunday in the feast of Holy Trinity, 1322. ^

+ J.W. Walker says this is Robin Hood's Well, known as such since the reign of Henry VII, but this location is incorrect as noted by J.C. Holt.
* The quantities specified do not exactly amount to twelve acres
^ An error for 1422

The identification of some of these land holdings may provide a more accurate location for this early landmark

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'ROBYN HADDEZTON'

From Henry VII's first progress after his coronation 30th Oct 1385:

He married Elizabeth of York at Westminster 18th January 1486 before leaving for the north on his progress visiting Nottingham, Doncaster (Where he prayed at St. Mary Magdalene's Priory and the parish church) then to Pontefract via 'Barnesdale':

'By the Way in Barnesdale, a litill beyonde Robyn Haddezston, th Er'e of Northumberland with right a great and noble Company mete and gave his Attendaunce upon the King [Henry VII] ; that is for to say, with 33 Knyghts of his Feedmen, beside Esquiers and Yeomen'. [Thomas Hearne (ed.) Leland. Collectanea, vol. IV, (1770), p. 186.]

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'ROBIN HOOD'S PLACE':
Letter from Henry V to the bishop of Durham about 1418:

Wherfore I wolle that the Duc of Orliance* be kept stille withyn the Castil of Pontefret, with owte
goyng to Robertis place or to any othre disport, for it is bettr he lak his disport then we were disceyved.
[Original letters illustrative of English. p. 2.]

*Charles Duke of Orleans, nephew of Charles the Sixth of France, who was found among the slain at the field of Agincourt, remained prisoner in England from 1416 to 1440. Henry the Fifth deemed his detention most important to the safe keeping of the conquests in France. The first place of his confinement was Windsor, whence, in 1417, he was removed to the castle of Pontefract in Yorkshire, under the care of an esquire named Robert Waterton. [Foedera, vol. ix, p. 456.]

'Robertis place' is considered by Hunter to refer to Robyn Hood's Stone or Well. [Hunter. South Yorkshire, II, p. 487.]

Reference: 

Transcribed from charter No. 315, Abstracts of the Chartularies of Monkbretton, published by J.W. Walker, reprinted C.U.P., 2013, pp. 105-106.

 © Tim Midgley 2014, links revised July 2023.