Britain’s most photographed tree is no longer standing. Sycamore Gap Tree which became famous thanks to the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), most likely killed with a chainsaw on the night of Wednesday to Thursday. British police arrested a sixteen-year-old boy on Thursday reported broadcaster BBC. Meanwhile, a bloodthirsty online mob wants the same fate for the centuries-old alleged perpetrator Acer pseudoplatanus (common maple).

The Sycamore Gap Tree stands in the Northumberland National Park in the north of England, near the eastern part of Hadrian’s Wall, built between AD 122 and 128. Its location in the gently sloping landscape and its dense hairs make it a popular object among photographers and painters. In 2016, this iconic deciduous tree was voted the UK’s ‘tree of the year’.

Britons reacted to the news with horror, anger and sadness. “I cannot express how angry I am,” Mayor Jamie Driscoll wrote on social media. “The residents’ ashes were scattered near the tree. People ask each other to get married here. I had a picnic here with my wife and children. The tree is part of our collective soul.”

Thousands of pedestrians

Local brewery write on X became “very disappointed” by the action. The tree attracts thousands of hikers each year, making it a major tourist attraction in the region.

Based on the footage, there is no doubt at all that it was an intentional act and therefore not a natural occurrence. Photos show that the tree trunk has been sawed down until its entire diameter is close to the ground. The tree has now undergone a digital name change. Sycamore Gap Tree is now Sycamore Stump, a reference to the remains of a once proud tree. Additionally, the tree’s Wikipedia biography is written entirely in the past tense.

The development in the north of England brings back memories of another world-famous tree: the Ténéré Acacia of the Nigerien Sahara. It was the only tree in the area Vachellia Tortilis for centuries as an iconic landmark for travelers. In 1973 he met his death in a strange way. A drunk driver managed to bring down the tree. The dead trunk is on display at the National Museum of Niger.