A police investigation has been launched into the felling of one of the most photographed trees in the UK, the Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland, which was found cut down on Thursday morning.
The world famous tree, voted English tree of the year in a Woodland Trust competition in 2016 and featured in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, is thought to have been deliberately felled.
Photographs taken on Thursday morning show it appears to have been sawed at the base of the trunk with a chainsaw. The sycamore tree, estimated to be several hundred years old, had previously stood in a small picturesque valley in Northumberland national park in the north of England.
Absolutely gutting morning on Hadrian's Wall. No more Sycamore Gap. pic.twitter.com/MWb49kZlaG
— Twice Brewed Brew Co. (@TwiceBrewedCo) September 28, 2023
In a statement, Northumberland national park authority said it “can confirm that sadly, the famous tree at Sycamore Gap has come down overnight. We have reason to believe it has been deliberately felled. We are working with the relevant agencies and partners with an interest in this iconic north-east landmark and will issue more details once they are known.
“Sycamore Gap was voted English tree of the year in 2016 in the Woodland Trust’s awards and is much-loved by people from across the world. Northumberland national park authority would like to ask the public not to visit the site at this time whilst we work with our partners to identify what has happened and to make the site safe.”
A Northumbria police spokesperson said: “We can confirm an investigation has been launched following damage to the Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland. “Inquiries are ongoing to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed.”
Local people were left bereft at the news. A local pub, the Crown Inn at Humshaugh, posted: “Absolutely shocking news this morning, Sycamore Gap is no longer, some mindless idiot appears to [have] cut it down through the night. What on earth goes through people’s heads?
“We welcome thousands of people each year who look forward to seeing the famous tree. A very sad day.”
The author LJ Ross wrote: “Terribly sad to hear of the loss of this iconic, beautiful tree which was the inspiration for my second book. I don’t know why it was felled, there is a lot of speculation at the moment, but I can only hope there was a very good reason.”
