03/05/2026
A very happy May Day for tomorrow. A perfect day to get out and explore part at least of the Robin Hood Way
Robin Hood became intrinsically linked to May Day festivities in England, especially during the Tudor era when he evolved from a mere folk outlaw into a symbol of spring, liberty, and the "man in green". The May Games often featured plays, archery contests, and dances with characters like the May Queen, representing the spirit of the season.
Maid Marian was often cast as the Queen of May, becoming inseparable from the Robin Hood legend during these celebrations, with the pair frequently serving as central figures in the festivities.
It is probable that Robin Hood first met Marian in the May games. There was even a royal May-game for Henry VIII in 1516, when two hundred men from the King’s guard, dressed in green and under the leadership of a ‘Robin Hood’, led the King and Queen to an arbour erected in the wood beneath Shooters Hill, where they feasted with wine and venison.