Background
Rooke was born on 20 February 1723 and baptised at Street Martin-in-the-Fields in Westminster on 19 March of the same year.
Rooke was born on 20 February 1723 and baptised at Street Martin-in-the-Fields in Westminster on 19 March of the same year.
The Major Oak is named after him. 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 18 September 1806 and is buried in the chancel of Street 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.
