Disclaimer: this story, much like the Renaissance itself, is a little old. But does extreme radness really have an expiration date?
According to Roadtrippers, in 1996 elaborate grounds were built for the Virginia Renaissance Fair on Fredericksburg land once owned by the Washingtons (yes, those Washingtons). The village was constructed on an area aptly called “The Sherwood Forest,” but was shut down three years later after prolonged bouts of bad weather led to poor ticket sales. The Fair moved to a different location, leaving Sherwood Forest’s boats, cottages, jousting arenas, bar and church to be reclaimed by the land and forgotten…until recently, that is.
In 2013, an unmanned aerial drone filmed a bird’s eye view of the Fair’s sprawling grounds, prompting renewed interest in the little village. Here’s a clip of that footage:
Urban explorers often trek out to Sherwood Forest; you can see an incredible gallery of their images below. (And if you’ve actually made a pilgrimage yourself, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!)
Can we all just quit our jobs, learn how to blacksmith, and start an intentional community in the forest together? Note: Roadtrippers advises visitors to wear orange during hunting season. FYRST TOWN DECREE–NEON SAFETY CORSETS FOR ALL!
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(Images via Imgur and Abandoned Places on Livejournal)
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