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Wise men of Gotham |
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In Gotham, as in villages across the country, opposition to the taxes would have been strong; financing foreign wars was not akin to paying a king’s ransom or fighting for the church. Attempts to avoid paying taxes prompted civil disobedience across England: people tried to hide their wealth in order to reduce the amount of tax they had to pay. As a result, raids by royal tax collectors became commonplace. These taxes were in addition to other means of extracting money from the common people. What historian W.L. Warren describes as “day-to-day scrounging tactics” included the increased frequency and level of fines for minor misdemeanours. All contributed to the impression that King John was mean, money-grabbing and unfair. This impression was the breeding ground for legends such as the Wise men of Gotham, common-day heroes who outwitted a grasping monarch.
Cuckoo Bush Inn, Gotham
© Mick Riley |
Gotham is not unique in having a reputation as a village of fools, according to Frank E Earp in his article on the tales at least 45 other English villages can be identified as fool villages. A number of the tales themselves are claimed by a variety of locations: the legend of the moon-rakers is strongly associated with the village of Bishop Canning in Wiltshire, but locations in Bristol and West Yorkshire also lay claim to it. However, Gotham’s reputation as the village of fools has survived thanks to the endurance of the chap book first published in 1540. However, a word of warning from the Wise Men of Gotham to though to those thinking of visiting this village in order to catch some fools in action: "We ween there are more fools pass through Gotham than remain in it."
Acknowledgements
John Anderson and the Gotham Parish Council
Local Heritage Initiative
Rushcliffe Borough Council
Hanby and Barrett
Your comments
1 Andy from Nottingham - 16 January 2004
"Maybe we should try it again (particularly it you are a motorist)"
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