Sycamore Gap: 300-year-old tree stars in 90s classic Robin Hood movie before vandalism
Hadrian’s Wall has been damaged by the vandals who chopped down the Sycamore Gap tree, investigators have discovered.
Historic England said it found “some damage” had been caused to the 1,900-year-old wall, one of Britain’s best-known Unesco world heritage sites, in a preliminary inspection.
A spokesperson for the historical preservation body told The Independent: “While we identified that Hadrian’s Wall has sustained some damage, we have not been able to access the site to carry out a full investigation so a further archaeological appraisal will take place once the site is considered safe.
It comes as The National Trust, which manages the land in Northumberland where the iconic tree once stood, said it has been “overwhelmed” with thousands of messages of support and over 150 offers of help.
The charity told The Independent its immediate priority has been ensuring the safety of the tree and it is still working on plans for the safe removal of Sycamore Gap. But the spokesperson added that The National Trust is “beginning discussions with stakeholders about the future of the site”.
Police previously arrested a 16-year-old boy and a man, aged in his 60s, in connection with the incident. Both have since been released on bail.
