Statues of Robin Hood and his Merry Men

Group of three stylised sculptures of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, unveiled in 1952, designed by James Arthur Woodford.

MATERIAL: cast-bronze sculptures and stone plinths.

PLAN: three free-standing sculptures, each roughly rectangular in plan.

DESCRIPTION: The cast-bronze figure of Robin Hood stands on a cast-bronze base and rusticated stone plinth. The stylised figure, approximately 2 metres in height, stands in an archery pose, with his bow and arrow pointed north-west towards the gate house of Nottingham Castle. The group to the south-east of the statue of Robin Hood comprises two cast-bronze reclining figures (possibly the young minstrel Allan a Dale and Will Scarlet) over a cast-bronze base and rusticated stone plinth. The group to the south-west of the statue of Robin Hood comprises three cast-bronze reclining figures (possibly Friar Tuck, Little John and one other of the Merry Men [Much the Miller’s son?]) over a cast-bronze base and rusticated stone plinth. The bronze base of each of the three sculptures is inscribed ‘JAMES WOODFORD / RA / 1951’. The group of sculptures stand on an elevated hardscaped platform over the infilled outer ditch of Nottingham Castle (listed at Grade I), and Castle Road.