The Tree was the headquarters of the allies (Locksley with his outlaws, Cedric's the Saxon's men and the Black Knight) during and the day after the siege of the castle. Under the tree the note was written by the Clerk of Copmanhurst (Steetley chapel) for Wamba the Fool and Gurth the swineherd, demanding the release of the prisoners (Cedric the Saxon, the lady Rowena and Athelston ) who were being held by Front-de-Boeuf, De Bracey and Brian de Bois-Guilbert (the Templar.)
Here also Wamba disguised himself as a priest and went into the castle where he exchanged clothes with his master Cedric and by this means Cedric escaped leaving Wamba in the castle.
After the castle was taken (and burned to the ground by the insane woman Ulrica) the salvage from the castle was taken under the tree to be shared out.
Front-de-Boeuf was killed during the siege and De Bracey Taken prisoner by the Black Knight. Bois-Gilbert escaped taking his prisoner Rebecca the daughter of Isaac of York with him to Templestowe (present name Temple New-sum)
When the castle was taken the injured Ivanhoe was also rescued and removed to the Priory of St. Botolph (thought to be the Abbots house near the old hall) to have his wounds tended (only De Bracey knew Ivanhoe was in the castle.)
After celebrating the victory the men gathered under the tree to divide the spoils.
Cedric wanting to repay Wamba for his heroic gesture during the siege offered him his freedom. Wamba declined the offer and requested instead that his good friend Gurth should have the privilege and so it was that Gurth was made a freeman given land and had his serfs collar removed.
It was under the tree that Locksley had a throne of turf erected and declared himself monarch of the woodland glades. Giving the silver embossed horn that he had won by splitting the wand at Ashby to the Black Knight so that he could summon assistance by blowing three moots anywhere within the Forrest. He blew three moots at Locksley's request under the tree so all would recognise the sound. Cedric also Promised the Black Knight any boon he asked, the Black Knight told him he would hold him to it when he was ready.
The lady Rowena paid the men a visit on horseback as she was leaving for Rotherwood (Treeton mill ) to thank them for their part in the rescue and offered the outlaws the use of her woods if ever they were in need of sanctuary.
Then the clerk who had spent the night in the wine cellar of the castle arrived with Isaac the Jew who he had come across in a dungeon of the castle while searching for the best wine. He had become trapped in the castle and had just been released by some of Locksley’s men who had been sent to find him. He arrived still dressed as an outlaw, halberd (club) over his shoulder and Isaac lead by a rope around his neck being dragged along behind him. The clerk and Black Knight Later exchanged Buffets (cuffing each other ) a contest won by the knight the clerk ending up on his back. The clerk Then changed back into his monks habit and exchanged his club for a quarter staff (after all he was Friar Tuck.)
The Prior Aymer was then lead in having been captured by Allen-a-dale on Watling street (the road that runs past Bondhay ) and on being greeted by the clerk in very poor Latin remarked. "What profane mummery is this? Friend, if thou be'st indeed of the church, it were better deed to show me how I may escape from these men's hands, than to stand ducking and grinning here like a Morris-dancer."
The Prior and Isaac were then invited to name each others ransom the price of 600 crowns being eventually settled upon by Locks-ley. (Locksley reduced the original price set on Isaac because Rebecca had healed his wounds in York and Isaac needed the money to ransom his daughter from the Templar.)
The Black Knight (Richard the Lionheart) set De Bracey free exil-ing him in the process.
The Spoils were Then divided and the allies dispersed.
Ivanhoe was first published in 1819 by Sir Walter Scott The modern day locations were attributed to the Places in the book by Mr. Mosey in a speech at the tree planting ceremony in 1901.