The Sycamore Gap long held an important place in the hearts of people from the UK and around the world as the backdrop for many important moments – proposals, memorials and the scattering of ashes. It was unequivocally one of the most famous trees in the UK – and possibly also the world.
The tree was a symbol of home and hope for people living in the North East of England, featuring on the badge of the local school and also in the branding of many businesses in the local area. It found new audiences in the 1990s, after it appeared in a prominent scene in the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It also went on to win the Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year award in 2016.
The last known photo of the Sycamore Gap was taken by illustrator and floral designer Alice Whysall, who was hiking along Hadrian’s Wall and was on the fourth day of her journey on Wednesday 27 September when she reached the Sycamore Gap – and took a photo of the tree at dusk.
On the morning of Thursday 28 September 2023, locals awoke to see an absence on the horizon. The Sycamore Gap tree had been felled overnight.
What happened after the Sycamore Gap tree was felled?
There was a huge outpouring of emotion after the felling of the tree. The National Trust did a callout, asking for the public to submit photos and memories of the tree, and 2,000 tributes were received. The local Twice Brewed Inn fundraised over £10,000, which facilitated the next steps of the removal of the tree and paved the way for future work in the area.
Wood from the tree was carefully treated and was stored under advice from experts, and the trunk went to The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre at Northumberland National Park for exhibition. Cumbria-based artist Shona Branigan created five prints from a disc of the tree’s trunk for an exhibition entitled Heartwood.
The response to the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree has inspired artists and writers the world over. Writer Robert Macfarlane has written a ten-movement song cycle, titled The World Tree, as a requiem to explore humanity's relationship with trees. The Finnish composer Matthew Whittall has set his words to music, and the piece will receive its premiere in Finland in November 2025, before it tours the UK – including a performance on or near Hadrian's Wall itself.
In August 2024, it was reported that new shoots were emerging from the Sycamore Gap tree itself.
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Trees of Hope: where the Sycamore Gap seedlings have ended up
Seedlings from the tree were transferred to the National Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre at a secret location in Devon. These were nurtured into saplings, which will be strong enough to plant out in winter 2025/26. As part of its ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative, the National Trust received almost 500 applications for the 49 saplings, one to represent each foot in height that the tree was at the time of felling.
The new homes will all be in publicly accessible spaces, encouraging the public to engage with the legacy of the tree.
How old was the Sycamore Gap tree?
The iconic sycamore tree was planted in the gap in the late 1800s by the landowner at the time, John Clayton.
Who felled the Sycamore Gap tree?
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were charged at the end of April 2024, and in May 2025 they were found guilty of cutting down the iconic tree.
We included the Sycamore Gap walk as one of the best walks in England.
Top image: Sycamore Gap. Credit: Getty Images