The Green Man is as old as time itself.... He is said to be the link between mankind and the world around us.... He is found in the spirit of the trees, and his presence can be felt around you, in the bush... He has existed in folklore for over 2000 years, across dozens of countries and cultures. He is often depicted draped in leaves, and it is said that he represents the very essence of Nature itself...

The Green Man is one of those traditional country pub names in England. His story is extremely old. The mythical Green Man is a relative of Bacchus, Dionysus, Pan, Okeanos, and eventually of Vishnu, and of Enkidu, the creator of Adam and the saviour of Noah. His images appear in churches and temples in Europe, the Levant and Asia.

Since The First Time, man was in awe of the overwhelming strength of uncontrolled nature, represented by The Green Man. In the Age Of Rationalism, Man thought he could tame and harness nature and The Green Man faded. With BSE, pollution, Global Warming, desertification, and the downstream devastation of dams. The Green Man is relevant once again.

He is in orgies on the hillside, riots in the street, the celebrations of plenty, and the privations of crop failure. He is in inebriation, orgasm, trance and possession. His eyes typically do not focus, and his image is part comforting and part worrying, like the force he represents. The Green Man likes wild places, hence his association with the countryside. He is also sometimes known as Robin Goodfellowe, Jack o' the Green, Green George, or Robin Hood.

Predominantly a Northern hemisphere character, the Green Man dies each year on the 5th of November (The Old English New Years Day) to the sound of bangs and the sight of bonfires, much later associated with Guy Fawkes. He is reborn on the 1st of May each year. Spring rites celebrate that renaissance, and children conceived on this day (particularly as a result of the spring rights!) were known as Robin's Son or Robinson. So he is a vegetation force, dying each winter, but leaving his seed in the womb of Mother Earth for the next spring. He is also the last protector of lost souls.