Little John

In most versions of the Robin Hood story, a leading part is allotted to his follower ‘Little John’, so called because he was a huge man; he is first mentioned in 1420. In the 17th century it was claimed that he had lived in Hathersage (Derbyshire), where his alleged grave, over four metres long, is still shown in the churchyard; a 30-inch thighbone is said to have been unearthed there in 1784. A longbow marked with the name ‘Naylor’ used to hang in the church, which some claimed had been his.