It stood for generations—tall, quiet, and graceful—nestled in a dip between two rolling hills beside Hadrian’s Wall. The Sycamore Gap tree wasn’t just a tree. It was a meeting place, a photo stop, a wedding backdrop, a moment of peace on a long walk. It was a part of the landscape, part of the national identity. And then one day—it was gone.
On September 28, 2023, as Storm Agnes swept across the countryside, two men drove into Northumberland with a chainsaw. Within minutes, the Sycamore Gap tree was on the ground. The sound of its fall wasn’t heard by many—but the impact? That echoed across the UK and beyond.
This week, more than a year later, a jury found Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, guilty of criminal damage after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court. The judge didn’t hold back, calling their actions “moronic” and “senseless.” The two are now awaiting sentencing and could face years behind bars.
A National Symbol, Reduced to Stump and Grief
People still find it hard to believe. Hikers who had walked the Hadrian’s Wall path countless times still stop at the gap and stare in disbelief. “It’s like someone tore a page out of our country’s storybook,” one local resident said. “You don’t think something that sacred can just be taken like that.”
The tree, estimated to be over 150 years old, had grown to become one of the most photographed spots in Britain. Featured in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and loved by locals and tourists alike, it was not just wood and leaves—it was memory, it was presence.
Why Did They Do It?
The motive remains baffling. The court was shown video footage taken by Graham during the felling. One clip shows Carruthers holding the saw, the tree already coming down, as they make sarcastic comments and jokes about how famous they’ll be.
In text messages, the pair seemed to revel in the media attention. “It’s gone global,” one message read. For some reason—perhaps a mix of thrill-seeking, ego, and arrogance—they wanted to be the center of a spectacle.
But this wasn’t a prank. It wasn’t harmless. It left a scar, one felt deeply by the public.
The Trial and the Evidence
The men tried to deny it. They claimed they were elsewhere, tried to shrug off the evidence. But investigators found surveillance footage of them driving into the area around midnight. GPS data matched. And that video on Graham’s phone sealed it.
When the verdict came in, some in the courtroom wept. Not for the men, but for what they had taken.
A Grieving Nation and a Community That Still Cares
The days following the tree’s felling were filled with heartbreak. People left flowers at the stump. Children wrote letters to the tree. Artists sketched it from memory. It was as though an old friend had died.
The National Trust moved quickly to preserve the legacy. Seeds were collected. Saplings are being grown in secret locations. The tree will return in some form—though it will take decades to become what it once was.
Plans are in place to display the remaining trunk at The Sill, a nearby visitor center, so future generations can understand what was lost and, hopefully, why it matters to protect what we have.
What Happens Now?
Graham and Carruthers will be sentenced in July. Until then, they remain in custody. For many, no sentence will feel long enough to match what they destroyed. But the conviction, at the very least, brings accountability.
There’s a quiet sadness that lingers at Sycamore Gap. But there’s also resilience. People still come. Still sit. Still remember.
Because while the tree may be gone, the love people had for it remains rooted, deep and strong.
And that’s something no one can cut down.
