Film company claims MI5 interface blocked release of footage shot at Robin Hood's Yorkshire gravesite

In 2005, the Red Monkey Film Company were producing a documentary film about Robin Hood’s links to Yorkshire and they included in their location schedule the filming of a blessing ceremony held at the gravesite that is reputed to be the outlaw’s burial place in the grounds of Kirklees Priory in North Yorkshire.

Although it was only a short sequence, there were rumours that Lady Armytage, the estate landowner, was apparently being particularly “difficult” and it appears that the documentary film was never actually completed or released.

Despite pressure from several different quarters, the reasons why the film never made it to the screen have always remained a mystery but according to Barbara Green of the Yorkshire Robin Hood Society , in 2007, Drew Hartley, a director/producer at Red Monkey Films stated that MI5 had somehow become involved related to concerns from the Heritage Lottery Fund that strongly promoting Yorkshire’s Robin Hood connections could damage Nottinghamshire’s tourist industry and lead to possible job losses ! It appears that Mr. Hartley learnt these facts from high profile executives he met while filming at the BAFTA Awards.

A more probable reason for any government secret service intervention is likely to be that the Rev. David Farrant, who conducted the blessing ceremony, had a dubious reputation linked to vampirism and occult practices and there had also been speculation of a local councillor being involved. Whatever account you choose to believe, apparently Red Monkey Films continued to adamantly refuse to answer any questions about why the film was not made!