Beowulf (dates to between the
8th and the early
11th centuries):
Epic poem in
Old English. The original manuscript has no title, but the story it tells has become known by the name of its
protagonist. Beowulf may be the oldest surviving long poem in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of
Anglo-Saxon literature.[4]
Sir
Bevis of Hampton (dates to the first half of the
13th century): Legendary English hero; the subject of
medieval metrical
romances which bear his name.[5]
Fulk FitzWarin (c. 1160–1258): Subject of the medieval legend Fouke le Fitz Waryn, which relates the story of Fulk's life as an
outlaw and his struggle to regain his familial right to
Whittington Castle from
King John.[7]
The Tale of Gamelyn (dates to c.
1350): Romance taking place during the reign of
King Edward I, telling the story of Gamelyn and the various obstacles he must overcome in order to retrieve his rightful inheritance from his older brother. Written in a dialect of
Middle English and considered part of the
Matter of England.[8]
Guy of Warwick (dates to the
13th century): Legendary English hero of
Romance popular in England and France from the 13th to 17th centuries; considered to be part of the
Matter of England.[9]
Hengist and Horsa (
5th century): Legendary brothers said to have led the
Angles,
Saxons and
Jutes in their invasion of Britain in the 5th century; Horsa was killed fighting the Britons, but Hengist successfully conquered
Kent, becoming the forefather of its Jutish kings. A figure named Hengest appears in the
Finnesburg Fragment and in Beowulf.[11]
Lady Godiva (dates to at least the
13th century): English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked – covered only in her long hair – through the streets of
Coventry to gain a
remission of the oppressive
taxation that her husband imposed on his tenants. The term "
Peeping Tom" originates from later versions of this legend, in which a man named Thomas watched her ride and was struck blind or dead.[13]
Robin Hood (dates to the
1370s): Heroic
outlaw of English folklore who, according to legend, was a highly skilled
archer and
swordsman. Traditionally depicted dressed in
Lincoln green, he is said to rob from the rich and give to the poor. Alongside his band of
Merry Men in
Sherwood Forest and against the
Sheriff of Nottingham, he became a popular folk figure in the
Late Middle Ages, and continues to be represented in literature, film and television.[14]
Sceafa (dates, arguably, to the
6th century): Ancient
Lombardic king in English legend. The story has Sceafa appearing mysteriously as a child, coming out of the sea in an empty
skiff. The name has historically been modernized Shava.[15]
Waltheof of Melrose (c. 1095 – 1159):
12th century English
abbot and
saint; born to the English nobility, Waltheof is noted for his severe, self-imposed austerities and kindness to the poor.[16]