Black Knight Retreat



The first stop along the Harthill Walk is the Black Knight Retreat.

In Ivanhoe the Black Knight is a character who helps Wilfred of Ivanhoe and many of the other characters overcome obstacles. This character is incognito for a majority of the story, but we later learn that he is King Richard. He is first introduced at the tournament where he assists "The Disinherited Knight", whom the reader knows to be Wilfred of Ivanhoe. We also see him visiting with Friar Tuck, and later joining to rescue the Saxons travelers.

At one point, this character searches for a place to rest, which could have been the original inspiration for this bench's name.