How UK's most famous tree was cut down in an act of vandalism

The UK’s most famous tree has been felled. The ‘Sycamore Gap’, an iconic tree at Hadrian’s Wall, has been cut down. Authorities have arrested a 16-year-old in connection with the matter. But what do we know about the ‘Sycamore Gap?’ Let’s take a closer look: The Sycamore Gap stood next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Hadrian’s Wall. Hadrian’s Wall, of course, was named after the Roman emperor Hadrian. The wall, which marked the Roman Empire’s northwestern frontier, also served as the inspiration for The Wall in George RR Martin’s epic A Song of Ice And Fire.

No one knows the exact age of the tree.

As per ABC, it is estimated to be between 200 and 300 years old. But Andrew Poad, north east general manager at the National Trust, put the age of the tree at ‘nearly 200 years’. The tree, a beloved icon of the landscape, was made famous when it appeared in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.” It is also called the ‘Robin Hood tree’. Over the years, thousands of people have paused on their walks along the wall to admire the tree at Sycamore Gap – making it one of the most photographed trees in the UK. The tree stood alone at a ‘dramatic dip’ at Hadrian’s Wall in the Northumberland National Park. [caption id=“attachment_13186402” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] The tree stood alone at a ‘dramatic dip’ at Hadrian’s Wall in the Northumberland National Park. Reuters[/caption] As per Metro, the Sycamore Gap was looked after by both the Northumberland National Park and National Trust. In 2016, the ‘Sycamore Gap’ was named the English Tree of the Year. As per Yorkshire Post, a helicopter crashed around 30 metres from the tree in 2003 during the filming of a TV show. The crash, which left the tree and presenter Alan Titchmarsh unscathed, caused minor injuries for three people aboard the chopper. ‘Deliberately felled’ The Sycamore Gap tree was found fallen after overnight storms. Its stump was seen with white paint marks and appeared cleanly cut, as if by a chainsaw, AFP reporters at the scene said.

“Northumberland National Park Authority on Thursday confirmed that the tree was “deliberately felled.”

“We can confirm that sadly, the famous tree at Sycamore Gap has come down overnight,” it said in a statement. “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.” CNN quoted Poad as saying, “The tree has been an important and iconic feature in the landscape for nearly 200 years and means a lot to the local community and to anyone who has visited the site.” Northumbria Police said the teen was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage. He was in police custody and assisting officers with their inquiries, the force said. “The tree is a world-renowned landmark and the vandalism has caused understandable shock and anger throughout the local community and beyond,” police said in a statement. “This is an incredibly sad day,” police superintendent Kevin Waring said. “The tree was iconic to the North East and enjoyed by so many who live in or who have visited The Northumberland National Park authority asked the public not to visit the felled tree. [caption id=“attachment_13186382” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] General view of the felled Sycamore Gap in Once Brewed, Northumberland National Park. Reuters[/caption] Alison Hawkins, who was walking on the Hadrian’s Wall path, was one of the first people who saw the damage early Thursday. “It was a proper shock. It’s basically the iconic picture that everyone wants to see,” she said. “You can forgive nature doing it but you can’t forgive that.” Local MP Mary Foy called it “a heartbreaking act of mindless vandalism of a much loved, famous landmark in the North East. “A very sad day for the iconic Sycamore Gap, which will upset so many people around the country – and even across the world,” she added. Local councillor Steven Bridgett wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the tree “has definitely been cut down using a chainsaw.” The 16-year-old  arrested was released on bail on Friday. “He has since been released on police bail, pending further enquiries,” the force confirmed. ‘Won’t be the same’ The Guardian quoted The National Trust as saying that it would be taking gathering seeds and cuttings from the felled tree. “It’s a sycamore so the stump could try to regrow but of course it won’t be the same,” Poad was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Poad told BBC Breakfast: “It’s a very healthy tree, we can see that now, because of the condition of the stump, it may well regrow a coppice from the stump, and if we could nurture that then that might be one of the best outcomes, and then we keep the tree.” However, Mark Feather, estate manager at the Woodland Trust, was far more downbeat. Feather said it would “take a few years to develop into even a small tree and around 150 to 200 years before it is anywhere close to what we have lost”. “Once a tree of this age has gone, the sad truth is you can’t replace them within any visible timeframe. It takes centuries,” Feather told BBC. Rob Ternent, head gardener at the Alnwick Garden in Northumberland, added that it “won’t ever be the same shape or as good of a tree as it was”. “It’ll be very difficult to get it back to the original tree,” Ternent added. “The growing season’s coming to an end now but by spring next year it will have some life in it. It’ll probably be about 8 foot tall, but it’ll be lots of singular branches, more bushy.” With inputs from agencies