February 2023
PRESS RELEASE
Major Hayman Rooke – 300th Anniversary Celebrations
Most Nottinghamshire people have heard of the Major Oak. Fewer know that this forest
giant is actually named after Major Hayman Rooke. Fewer still know who the Major was. But
this year – the 300th anniversary of his birth – all that will change!
As part of the Miner2Major Project, The Sherwood Forest Trust, Mansfield Woodhouse
Heritage Link and The Ramblers (Notts Area) have created a new Heritage Walking Trail to
commemorate the life of Major Hayman Rooke. This year is the 300th Anniversary of his birth
on 20th February 1723. He lived in Mansfield Woodhouse from 1777 when he retired from the
army to his death in 1806.
Who Was Major Hayman Rooke?
The Major retired from a distinguished army career to live in Mansfield Woodhouse in 1777,
settling at Woodhouse Place. Hayman was an early archaeologist, exploring and sketching
many local archaeology sites. He discovered a Roman villa near Mansfield Woodhouse, a
model of which can be viewed at Mansfield Museum. He was one of the first people to
celebrate the ancient oaks of Sherwood Forest and wrote several pamphlets about them.
His favourite oak was ‘Queen Oak’ and after his death, in 1806, the tree was renamed in his
honour to the ‘Major Oak’ - hence his world fame. Read more about the Major here:
https://www.ourmansfieldandarea.org.uk/content/topics/archaeology/major-hayman-rooke
The Trail
To celebrate this famous Mansfield Woodhouse resident, a new heritage walking trail has been created. It’s designed to give a feel of what Mansfield Woodhouse would have looked like at the time Hayman Rooke lived here (1777-1806). The trail starts from the Library on Church Street, and includes Old Manor Road, Priory Road and Station Street with an extension to the blue plaque outside Woodhouse Place, along Mansfield Road. Trail leaflets will soon be available from Mansfield Woodhouse Library. Other events in the pipeline include a community celebration at Mansfield Woodhouse library, talks and an educational video about the Major’s work, details of which will follow.
More Information:
For more information about the Trail, please contact Linda Hardy at the Sherwood Forest Trust on 01623 821490