Robin Hoods Picking Rods

Robin Hood's Picking Rods are two stone rods set in a stone base on the hill above Charlesworth they are obviously the work of man, unlike some other ancient standing stones however the stones were made so long ago that their maker and purpose are forgotten. 

Archaeologists have examined the stones and come to their conclusions. The columns are thought to have been carved in the 9th century AD, by Anglo-Saxons. The stones may originally have been a single column that at some time has been broken and two pieces mounted side-by-side. 

It is just possible that the original column is from a period earlier than the 9th century, perhaps Celtic. If so it could have been used by an earlier religion.

The stones being part of a Saxon Cross is the origin is favoured by archaeologists. As a single column it may have looked like that still standing at Cleulow and those in West Park, Macclesfield. It is thought that in the 9th century the local inhabitants were Christian. 

Some old columns mark the course of ancient tracks. This column is on a track running east-west across country, passing through a gap in Cown Edge and heading towards Brown Low. It is not far from a crossroads with another ancient track running north-south along the top of Cown Edge. 

The people of this area resisted the Normans after the invasion of 1066. In 1070 the Norman army came here for retribution. They destroyed property and slaughtered animals. They reduced the area to waste. The Normans then created Macclesfield Forest. For us, the word "forest" brings to mind an area of land covered by trees. In the 11th century the word had a different meaning. It meant an area reserved for hunting. Macclesfield Forest was a Royal Forest. The hunting was reserved for Royalty. Local people, having had their other resources destroyed, were banned from taking wild game. In that era there were few walls and fences. Marker stones were placed on tracks at the entry to the forest to warn that hunting beyond that point was banned. It may be the Normans who broke the column (already several hundred years old) and used the pieces to make a boundary marker. At one time there were four pairs of twin columns in Macclesfield Forest. Of these, two pairs still exist, Robin Hood's Picking Rods, and Bow Stones.

The stones bear his name, but who was he, did he really exist, and how is he connected with the stones? Local legend says that Robin shot an arrow at the Picking Rods (to win freedom for a fair maid). It is said that the arrow hit the stones leaving the mark that can be seen today. This legend also has Robin performing an implausible feat of strength on Werneth Low nearby. Some of the legends may be difficult to believe, but they are sufficiently strong, persistent, and widespread in this part of the country to lead one to believe there may be some truth behind them. Unfortunately they date from the 13th century when little was written down. Few ordinary people could write. Those who could write were in positions of power. They had little incentive to portray a gang of outlaws accurately, and are unlikely to have known the full truth. Robin could have been used as an excuse by the poor inhabitants of the forest when they were questioned by the King's Shire Reave (Sheriff) about missing game. It is difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. Modern tales about Robin usually place him in Sherwood Forest which starts about thirty-five miles east of here. However, most of the places named after him or having local tales about him are in Yorkshire and Derbyshire, closer to here. If Robin did exist, then he and his gang are likely to have passed this way. 

There are many other explanations for the origin of the stones, so unfortunately the truth may never be known.