One of England's most famous trees deliberately felled

A famous tree that stood next to the Roman landmark Hadrian's Wall has been deliberately felled in an act of vandalism.

Thousands of visitors each visit Hadrian's Wall, an iconic Unesco World Heritage Site that once guarded the Roman Empire's northwestern frontier.

The tree next to the wall at Sycamore Gap, near Crag Lough in Northumberland, was a popular location for walkers and photographers, and made famous when it appeared in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. It was believed to be over 200 years old. 

Images shared by the BBC yesterday showed the tree was cut down near the base of its trunk, with the rest of it lying on its side. 

According to Northumberland police, a 16-year-old boy was arrested in northern England 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 this region.”

Alison Hawkins, who was walking near the wall, 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."

On Google maps the historical landmark was marked as temporarily closed. It was voted English Tree of the Year in 2016.

In 2020, New Zealand's famous Wanaka tree, another popular destination for photographers, was damaged following an attack with a saw.