Little John’s Grave Stones

POSTED 3/12/23

1. Little John’s tombstone was mentioned by Roger Dodsworth in 1619: ‘Robert Lockseley, born in Bradfeild parish in Halumshire, wounded his stepfather to death att plough, fledd into the woodes, and was releived by his mother till he was discovered. Then he came to Clifton super Calder, and came acquainted with little John, that kept the kyne, which said John is buried at Hathershead in Derbyshire, wher he haith a faire tombestone with an inscription.’

2. In 1652, Elias Ashmole says: ‘The famous Little John (Robin Hood’s companion) lyes buried in Hethersedge churchyard in the peak of Derbyshire, one stone at his head, another at his feet, and part of his bow hangs in the chancell. Anno 1652.’

3. The two stones are mentioned by James Pilkington in 1789: ‘According to tradition the famous Little John, Robin Hood’s companion, lies buried in the church yard with one stone at his head, and another at his feet. It is also said, that in the year 1652 his bow was hanging up in the church. The grounds of this tradition have lately been fully examined. The distance betwixt the two stones, which are said to be placed at the head and feet of Little John, is about four yards and a quarter; and from the great length of the grave it was presumed, that some very tall man was buried in it.’

4. The two stones are mentioned by E. Hargrove in 1792: ‘In the churchyard of Hathersage, a village in Derbyshire, were deposited, as tradition informs us, the remains of John Little, the servant and companion of Robin Hood. The grave is distinguished by a large stone, placed at the head, and another at the feet; on each of which are yet some remains of the letters I. L.’ It is rather curious that the letters L I are engraved on the stone in the porch of Hathersage Church (see, Little John’s Gravestone).

5. The two stones are mentioned by Ebenezer Rhodes in 1824: ‘His burial-place is distinguished by stones placed at the head and foot of his grave; they are nearly four yards apart, and are said to designate the stature of this gigantic man.’ Rhodes also says that the stones were moved farther apart.

6. In 1853, Spencer T. Hall mentions ‘two grey and worn-down stones’ and he further adds: ‘it was the very grave still pointed out, with a little stone at each end, which stones some foolish young men, once working at another grave, had placed further apart than they originally were.’

7. In 1868-69, William Bemrose Junior says: ‘The grave, which is marked by two small upright stones, one at the head and the other at the foot, measures about ten feet in length.’ He further adds: ‘There are to be seen at the present time, in the churchyard, two stones upwards of ten feet apart, said to have been placed at the head and feet of “Little John,” and this is still pointed out as “Little John’s grave.”

8. In Joseph Hunter’s Hallamshire published in 1869 it is stated: ‘In this churchyard was the head and foot stone of the grave of Little John’.

9. In 1877, J. Charles Cox mentions the stone that is now in the porch of Hathersage Church: ‘One fragment, which was found under the flooring of the church where the old pulpit stood, has been preserved, and is now fixed in the ground against the east wall of the churchyard, near the entrance gates. It consists of the upper half of a wide sepulchral slab, having double marginal lined incised round it, and the head of a floriated cross with fleur-de-lis terminations; there are also small shields in each of the upper angles. The stem of the cross passes between the Roman initials “L. J.” These initials are of a much later date than the cross, which we consider to be of early fourteenth century work, and show that the stone has at some time in its history been appropriated to commemorate a second interment.’ Cox also mentions the two stones: ‘The grave of Little John is to the south-west of the church, and is distinguished by two small upright stones about ten feet apart. These stones were yet further apart some years ago, but it is said that their position has been more than once tampered with by mischievous youths.’ See, Little John’s Gravestone.

10. In 1911, A. M. W. Stirling says: ‘The distance between the stones, which were said to be placed the one at the head and the other at the feet of the famous outlaw, was about four yards and a quarter, and from the great length of the grave it was obvious that some very tall man has been interred in it.’ This is borrowed from James Pilkington (no. 3 above).

11. In 1944, J. W. Walker says that in 1784 the grave ‘was marked by two stones, thirteen feet four inches apart, one at the head the other at the foot, on the south side of the church near the porch, each lettered J.L.’ Walker appears to have borrowed to some extent, from Hargrove, but he says the letters were I. L.* (no. 4 above). To make things more confusing, none of the others above mention that the two stones had the letters J.L., but the stone now in the porch of Hathersage Church, has the letters L I (see, Little John’s Gravestone).

* ‘I’ was a medieval form of ‘J’.

12. The two stones are mentioned by Percy Valentine Harris in 1951, but he simply quotes Elias Ashmole (no. 2 above), and E. Hargrove (no. 4 above).

13. In 1952, J. W. Walker (no. 11 above) also quotes Elias Ashmole, but Walker also mentions: ‘The upper half of the original headstone, measuring 5 feet in length by 4½ feet in breadth, has been placed within the south porch of the church; it bears an incised cross flory, the shaft of which lies between the letters L.I.’ This is undoubtedly the same stone mentioned by Cox (no. 9 above). Walker also tells us about the two stones that are now at the gravesite: ‘Little John’s grave is marked by two stones, 13 feet 4 inches apart, one at the head the other at the foot, on the south side of the church porch, which were placed there by the Ancient Order of Foresters, the headstone bearing the inscription: “Here lies Little John, the Friend and Lieutenant of Robin Hood.” On a large scrolled stone by the side of the railings enclosing the grave is carved an antlered stag’s head issuing from a crown, with beneath: “The care of this grave was undertaken by the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society, June 24, 1929.”’

14. In 1982?, Martin F. H. Hulbert says: ‘A modern stone on the south side of the grave states: ‘The care of this grave was undertaken by the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society, June 24th, 1929.” He also adds: ‘In the parish is an ancient sepulchre slab, probably 13^th century, is in the porch which some believe was Little John’s original tombstone. Engraved upon it is a cross (shaped rather like a fleur-de-lys – a design used in our processional cross) there are also two shields and the letters ‘LI’ thought to be of a later date. It was found under the flooring of the church where the pulpit stood.’ This is undoubtedly the same stone mentioned by Cox (no. 9 above) and Walker (no. 13 above). (See, Little John’s Gravestone).

Conclusions

In 1619, Roger Dodsworth notes that Little John was buried at Hathersage, and that his tombstone had an inscription. Could this be the stone that is now in the porch of Hathersage Church? (see, Little John’s Gravestone). In 1652, Elias Ashmole says there were two stones at the gravesite, and in 1789, James Pilkington also mentions two stones. In 1792, E. Hargrove says there were two large stones at the gravesite, and that each had the remains of the letters I. L. In 1824, Ebenezer Rhodes says there were two stones that had been moved further apart. In 1853, Spencer T. Hall says there were two grey and worn-down stones that were little, that had been placed further apart than they originally were. In 1868-69, William Bemrose Junior says there were two small upright stones, also mentioned by Cox in 1877. Little John’s grave has obviously been tampered with and the two stones at some stage, moved further apart, and perhaps replaced with two smaller ones. The two stones that are now at the gravesite, were placed by the Ancient Order of Foresters in 1929. See, Little John’s Gravestone.