Sycamore Gap tree- latest: Two men due to appear in court over felling of centuries old tree
Two men are due to appear in court on Wednesday in connection with the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.
Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, have been charged with causing criminal damage, the Crown Prosecution Service said. They are on bail.
There was a national outcry in September when the much-loved, centuries-old tree in rural Northumberland was found to have been cut down.
The tree, believed to have been one of the most photographed in the country, used to sit in a gap along Hadrian’s Wall – a Unesco world heritage site – and a popular hotspot for tourists and walkers.
Its origins are believed to have dated back to medieval times and it has been excavated on two previous occasions – between 1908 and 1911 and again between 1982 and 1987 – when Roman remains linked to Hadrian’s Wall were found.
Northumberland National Park (NNP) said it had received 2,000 “heartfelt” messages from people from all around the world expressing sadness and that it had been inundated with offers of help.
‘A sentinel of time'
Tuesday 14 May 2024 21:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Many paid tribute to the tree, with one woman writing a poem to express her sadness as she described the tree as a “sentinel of time”.
Laura Charlton, said she wrote the poem, an Ode to a Sycamore Tree, to try to capture the “recklessness of the actions and the sense of bereavement the locals are feeling.”
“The birds sing their morning song/Wind dances through the leaves/Almost just as it once was/Yet Northumberland is bereaved,” it read.
Why was the tree so famous?
Tuesday 14 May 2024 21:54 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The tree, believed to have been one of the most photographed in the country, used to sit in a gap along Hadrian’s Wall - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - in rural Northumberland and was a popular hotspot for tourists, walkers and others.
It is believed to have dated back to medieval times and has been excavated on two occasions - between 1908 and 1911 and again between 1982 and 1987, when Roman remains linked to Hadrian’s Wall were found.
The sycamore perhaps first became known around the globe after featuring in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, starring Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman and Alan Rickman.
Two men due to appear in court over felling of Sycamore Gap tree
Tuesday 14 May 2024 21:51 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Two men are due to appear in court on Wednesday in connection with the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.
Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, have been charged with causing criminal damage, the Crown Prosecution Service said. They are on bail.
The tree in rural Northumberland was found to be cut down in September 2023, sparking national outrage.
