Hayman Rooke

Major Hayman Rooke (20 February 1723 – 18 September 1806) became an antiquary on his retirement from the Army. The Major Oak is named after him.

Rooke was born on 20 February 1723 and baptised at St Martin-in-the-Fields in Westminster on 19 March of the same year. After a modest military career, in which he achieved the rank of major, Hayman Rooke 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. He wrote about the Romans as well as writing about medieval churches and local great estates such as Welbeck, Bolsover, Haddon Hall and Thoresby. Rooke died on 18 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 and love of Sherwood Forest.

[1] Hayman Rooke and Major Oak Day

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