Sylva
Sylva: "To slowly trace the forest's shady scene" ran from 14th December 2018 -7th April 2019
Foresters and felons, poets and poachers, Sylva uncovered the unusual tales of Nottinghamshire’s woodlands and the people who have worked, lived and been inspired by them.
The word forests conjures up images of places dominated by trees and wilderness, of sylvan nature untouched by the hands of humans. But the reality of forest history is much more complicated.
Rather than natural woodlands, forests are places dominated by the management of wild and domesticated animals, and by the commercial control of trees. Forests are sites where the competing interests and demands of villagers, aristocrats, farmers and kings have been played out over centuries; but they are also places of myth whose landscapes and legends have provided inspiration to countless artists.
The exhibition was curated by Professor Charles Watkins of the School of Geography and Manuscripts and Special Collections at the University of Nottingham. Exhibit highlights included a 13th-century roll of Sherwood Forest and a 15th-century translation of documents relating to Sherwood Forest and forest law - which revealed that it was generally forbidden to keep greyhounds in a forest, but mastiffs were allowed so long as they had had three claws or the ball of a forefoot cut off.
The material that was displayed in the exhibition, with the exception of a few loan items, forms part of the collections held by Manuscripts and Special Collections and is available for consultation in the Manuscripts and Special Collections reading room on King's Meadow Campus. Please e-mail mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk to make an appointment to visit.
Welcome to Sylva
Foresters and felons, poets and poachers, Sylva uncovered the unusual tales of Nottinghamshire’s woodlands and the people who have worked, lived and been inspired by them. The word 'forests' conjures up images of places dominated by trees and wilderness, of sylvan nature untouched by the hands of humans. But the reality of forest history is much more complicated.
Learn more
The exhibition was accompanied by a series of lunchtime talks, interviews, and more given by experts, available to watch again.
Exhibition poster
Click on the image above to see a larger version of the poster.
Visitor comments
Really inspired the imagination and made me think differently about the area.
Love the 13th C. roll of Sherwood Forest. Thank you for displaying it.
Beautifully presented and highly informative.
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