Hayman Rooke

Hayman Rooke (1723-1806) after a modest military career, in which he achieved the rank of major, retired to Mansfield Woodhouse in Nottinghamshire and turned himself into an antiquary. He is particularly associated with Roman finds around Mansfield Woodhouse, but he was a pioneer archaeologist within the county of Nottinghamshire. Despite having no formal training, he was well versed in a range of archaeological fields, and a frequent contributor to the journal "Archaeologia" between 1776 and 1796. As well as the Romans he wrote about medieval churches and local great estates such as Welbeck, Bolsover, Haddon Hall and Thoresby. Rooke died on the 18th September 1806 and is buried in the chancel of St Edmund's church in Mansfield Woodhouse. The Major Oak is named in his honour and in recognition of his writings on Sherwood Forest.