Hadrian's Wall was built under the instructions of the Roman emperor Hadrian. It stretched from The North Sea in the east to the Solway Firth in the west, covering some eighty four miles. It marked the very edge of The Roman Empire and was also intended to keep out unwanted visitors and warriors from the land we now call Scotland.
The wall rises and falls, clinging to the landscape in terrain that remains challenging to this day. It was an ambitious project that took around six years to complete but it did not function as intended for very many years. After Hadrian's death a new but less imposing wall was built further north called The Antonine Wall.
I remind myself at this point that when I sat down to create this blogpost, I did not intend to write a potted history of Hadrian's Wall. That is just background context for my reflections upon a beautiful sycamore tree that hugged the wall at a point where the base geology had formed a significant dip in the land.
They say that the tree was around three hundred years old. It was disease-free and had every prospect of thriving for another three hundred years. It had found a perfect niche - partly sheltered and well-watered. Lonesome but strong.
People loved that iconic tree. They felt connected to it and countless photos were taken at Sycamore Gap. Marriage proposals were made there and the tree even featured in the film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves".
And then in the dead of night just last week the tree was cut down with a chain saw. The tree crashed to the ground. People all over this kingdom shared a sense of sadness mingled with utter disbelief. Why would anyone do such a thing?
A sixteen year old youth and a man in his sixties were arrested, charged and later bailed. If they have any reasons to explain their vandalism we have not yet heard them. Something died in all of us when they murdered beauty. Personally, I hope that for the rest of their lives they will be known as the men who chopped down the iconic tree and that that reputation will follow them to their graves.
Below - the sycamore tree and Sycamore Gap seen via Google Streetview from the nearby "B" road...
I read earlier today that someone planted another sycamore nearby but it was taken down since the area is protected. I personally would have probably made an exception.
ReplyDeleteThere are other plans afoot and they need to be thought through.
DeleteThe tree was certainly part of history. Society recognized the tree. Very few places have something this significant.
ReplyDeleteIt was magical that the tree found that place to grow and indeed thrive.
DeleteWhat an awful story and naturally enough, similar has happened here.
ReplyDeleteSome things are very hard to understand.
DeleteIt is hard to understand the mind of anyone who would do that, isn't it? What a waste.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that the man in his sixties had a chip on his shoulder about a recent eviction.
DeleteI cried when I heard about the tree on the news, trees are one of my very favourite things and to cut down one still in its prime for no damn good reason is a shameful sin. Those two should be made to travel the length and breadth of the country planting new trees.
ReplyDeleteIt's not murder, not a bank robbery but somehow it seems worse than that - stealing the beauty.
DeleteNo it was a foolish but generous gesture on the part of the person. The way forward is for an expert to make a decision for the long term. Whether by letting the old tree stump regrowth, or by planting a mature sycamore tree. Going down to the nursery and just buying a tree is not environmentally sound.
ReplyDeleteI wholly agree.
DeleteIf a gale had blown it over we would say that it's sad and probably plant a big specimen with a mechanical digger. I hope they use the old wood to make a bench or sculpture to commemorate such a wonderful tree.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea.
DeleteO.K. told me of this, and I was wonsering why Imhad not read about it on any of the blogs I follow. Now I have.
ReplyDeleteDestroying beauty of any kind is something I simply don‘t get. It starts with leaving rubbish in the woods or along a path and ends with cutting down a perfectly healthy tree NOT for needing the wood.
Senseless destruction just for the hell of it - in the dead of night when the wind was blowing. The main perpetrator may have had a big chip on his shoulder about a recent eviction.
DeleteI am upset as anyone about the wanton destruction of that beautiful tree, but it is not yet proved that the 2 bailed persons had anything to do with it.!
ReplyDeleteGood point Frances. We should wait and see.
DeletePersonally I hope that for the rest of their lives they live in ignominy and fester in a damp, dark prison cell, forgotten by all. They won't of course, and will probably be fêted by the idiots who wish they had thought of the idea first. This stupid couple have sadly made their mark in history and will probably enjoy more than their 15 minutes of fame. I just hope it doesn't spawn the desecration of other treasured natural landmarks.
ReplyDeleteYour cautionary end remark is sadly very valid.
DeleteSuch a meaningless thing to do. I saw/read about this somewhere else recently as well, but can't recall now whether it was in our news or perhaps popped up on Facebook. I'm not sure if I ever saw the tree IRL myself but I did once upon a time visit some part of Hadrian's wall (on a family holiday road trip back in my teens).
ReplyDeleteYou may have driven past it without realising.
DeleteSad,
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteMy husband's family come from near there and I was reminded of it recently when I read the novel by L J Ross which weirdly I only finished reading two weeks ago. I cannot think of any reasonable excuses as to why those two men would have wanted to fell that beautiful tree and I hope they lock them up for a very long time which we all know is not going to happen.
ReplyDeleteI hope we get to learn the truth of this.
DeleteI actually saw an article about that tree over here a few days ago. WHY would anyone do that? Unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteThe tree was heavy with symbolism for so many.
DeleteI read about that but no motive told. Mindless vandalism, it seems. I'm surprised, though, at the ages of the criminals.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that the older man had a grudge against the Northumberland National Park authorities having recently been evicted from his rental property. I am just surmising.
DeleteI grieve for the tree and the people but I saw this:
ReplyDelete"We curse the one benighted chap who felled the sycamore at the gap, but tolerate those richer guys who burn whole forests, seas and skies"
And this is undeniably true. If only there was real justice for the real vandalism
It's a terrible story. I am very curious about the motive. I heard the eviction theory, but how would chopping down the tree strike back at his landlords? Do they even own this land? I thought it was a National Trust site.
ReplyDelete