Whoever cut the iconic tree down, wants their hands cut off. But no a judge will slam their wrists and let them off with a fine. This tree can never be replaced, a crying shame. People are out of control. Replace the tree with a pole and hang the little bastard from it.
Glastonbury Thorn was chopped down by the landowner. They blamed vandals at first but it was the rich attacking the poor once again. It is public access land but in private ownership. Dartmoor recently banned camping as a wealthy guy bought the land. Anyway, they want to remove the "right to roam" and access. The guy in Glastonbury applied to build houses on part of the site and they refused, so he chopped down a 2000-year-old tree. I imagine this will be the same thing. Some rich guy who is sick of people walking over "his" land, despite the right to roam being enshrined in law. So I'm sure he paid some local kid to cut it down. This is too much effort for vandalism.
I don't feel like being diplomatic about this. I am FUMING! What kind of feral mongrel little sh1t does something like this. Absolutely senseless and what makes it worse is that it cannot be undone or repaired. It makes it worse because of the effort they've gone through to do it. I hope whoever it is gets jail.
@@AlexynrGuess you are part of the problem, because it is not funny. Not in the least. And if you can't see that you're clearly from the shallow end of the same gene pool that spawned the feral little sh1t that did this. This cannot be made right. It will take several hundred years for any sort of similar tree to regrow. And it fell across the Wall, he didn't even care to cut it in such a a way that it fell away from not just a National Monument but a World Heritage. Words cannot express . . !
That wonderful tree has seen so much history , it’s beaten storms and avoided disease only to be chopped down by man . What a terrible scourge we are to this wonderful planet we live on . Sadly the punishment will not fit the crime .
When my wife told me that the free was down at sycamore gap I thought it may be stone Angus which passed by yesterday that was upsetting but that was nature, I felt sorrow but then she said it had been deliberately felled and that sorrow instantly turned to anger
name him and shame him drag him through the streets naked and make him apologize to every single person in the country.. then lock him up and throw away the key.
@mind5403 I do think that social media encourages some people to do things that might not previously been considered. There is an element of doing “something big” to perhaps gain internet notoriety 🤔Agreed though, humans have always had capacity for random wilful destruction 😕
Totally agree with you. I am devastated and disgusted by this wanton act of vandalism. I wish we could bring back public flogging just one time, for the culprit responsible for this criminal action.
At 16,he knew what he was doing. So did whoever that helped him. Why go out all that way just to cut a tree down if not to piss people off. . Arseholes. So, all those people that scattered loved ones ashes have had their memorial and or memories trashed. I hope the evil toe rags are made an example of but I won't hold my breath.
We are under attack. This tree represents our history, our ancestry, our culture and our connection to the land we live on. The effort it took to bring it down is not simply an act of vandalism... as other people have said, it's cultural terrorism. We are in a cultural civil war.
Yeah probably some rich tory who doesn’t want people walking in “his” land. Same as what’s happened in Dartmoor, the rich do not like the fact that poor people have the right to roam.
He has obviously used a chainsaw, and looking at how low down it was cut, it took some doing, and probably some knowledge. The unfortunate part about it, other than the mindless destruction, is that he will face no real penalty.
@@vinktheminkIt might given another 300 years, but it was cut so close to the ground its unlikely. Trees never grow back the same even when copiced properly
One of the worst things about this is that the idiot who did it will probably become "TikTok famous" now because of it. I'd be very surprised if the teens responsible are locals, but time will tell. Their parents should be named and shamed too, because they're doing a piss-poor job.
No as you can see no one likes this kindof vandalism. Teens these days don’t either. He’s a loser. I’m actually glad to see how many people care. It’s a sign of the time. Time to plant trees.
Every action we take in life has consequences. This lads consequences will haunt him for the rest of his life. He has cursed himself and his bloodline for life times to come. The fool. Scum. Absolute scum. So very upsetting. Such an idiotic and evil thing to do.
@OldTVARCHIVE476It's going to get way worse. They will probably level all your heritage to the ground in the coming decades. But hey that spicy food tastes good right? And you couldn't possibly prep it yourself.
I'm waiting to see full story on this, if it ever gets publisied of course. On a slightly different note, I was only having a conversation with some pals the other day about the sudden lack of "big/old/ancient" trees here in Ireland. Getting rare. The only place to see truely old trees today is on privately owned land or national forests. They seem to be vanishing quietly here without anyone really noticing. There is also a very noticeable lack of Apple trees and any tree or bush that grows any kind of fruit. Wiping them out right under our noses. Soon there will be no wild fruit (or veg) to be found. We all better wake up.
It was not "just a tree". It was a symbol of endurance, of stability, of permanence. It was a brave life form that withstood challenges to become proud and strong. It stemmed from a time no human being alive today experienced. I am devasted and mourning. This is one time when it feels like I have to apologise on behalf of the human race.... I am so very sorry. From South Africa.
It's upsetting for those of us that aren't local yet alone people that live locally. Seen loads of beautiful photos on Twitter and it's a huge loss. 400 yrs old. Why indeed? 😥
@@10gimp39 Not sure of it's exact age however, some posts from locals said it was 400yrs Old whilst many news articles are saying 300yrs old. Either way it's very old.
@@katherinew2189 Don't even think 300. Got a sycamore not far from my back garden & i know roughly its 70 odd years old & is half the size of this tree. Don't suppose i will see it when its 140!!
@@kevinparker461 it’s reputed to have been planted by John Clayton a Lawyer and Town Clerk of Newcastle. He inherited Chester’s fort in 1842 then bought up huge lengths of land containing Hadrians Wall which was falling into dereliction with many parts being stolen to build farm buildings. Clayton put a stop to that and set out to preserve as much as possible. If he did have it planted then it would be less than 200 although other historians date it to around 3-400 years in which case Clayton would have taken on the responsibility of its preservation.
"A 16-year-old boy has been arrested after one of the most photographed trees in the country was cut down." Probably for some stupid social media challenge.
I feel the same way, I'm living in Portugal but lived in Bellingham Northumberland for 10 years I used to drive past the area regularly such a mindless selfish act of vandalism. The world has gone mad😢😢😢😞
I'm from Ireland and I'm annoyed about this. Trees used to be sacred in ancient Gaelic culture. I do hope it's a one off incident and another lovely tree can be planted and grow over time.
That's a bit rich isn't it? In Ireland you've chopped down all your woods, you liberally spray insecticide and weedkiller everywhere, are digging up and destroying all your wet heathland and most of your rivers now have no salmon in them and are so polluted there are signs up telling you not to go near them????
My partner was planning to go to Sycamore Gap for the first time two weeks from now. He is sickened and I can't write here what he said he would do to whoever is responsible.
There are too many agents of chaos like this around nowadays. I'm sometimes pleased for previous generations that they are no longer around to see the way everything is falling apart. For instance, war memorials that were built to last forever, vandalised my mindless scumbags. The punishment is unlikely to fit the crime.
I share your anger Brian, but, this is how society is going. When I was a real young lad I was dared to pinch a 10p pocket book on tanks. Needless to say I got caught, and this is where my harsh lesson in life started. A policewoman took me ( I was about 9 years old) home in their car where they explained to my father why I was being escorted home. I still remember my father saying goodbye to the wpc after apologising but that wasn’t the punishment. I had a good measure of my fathers belt as punishment. Did it hurt me? Yes! Did I learn my lesson? Yes! Did I ever steal again? NO! Parents, schoolteachers and police are not allowed to do anything anymore and we are a poorer nation, world even, for it. A large percentage of people just don’t hold any values anymore and I’m pretty certain they would love to see decent people, just like you, get upset over their moronic behaviour. I mean it when I say, thank god for things like this RU-vid channel where you can connect with decent people and be reminded that you don’t have to give up on the human race, YET!
Totally agree. I remember when I was at infant school there was a police man with the big pointed hat who stood on the corner on the way to school. He looked 10 foot tall and looked like a policeman (not a paramilitary of today) if I was messing around my Mum would say “the polis is watching you”. This put the fear of god into me and I’d instantly behave (as he smiled at my mum and me). Today if that situation were the same the parent wouldn’t care and even if they did the kid would probably tell the copper p*ss off
Well, the police have been robbed of all their powers to deal with young criminals, when they arrest someone its police brutality, when they don't arrest someone they're not doing their job, they are not allowed to stop and check someone loitering or search someone who may be carrying a knife or weapon or its an infringement of their human rights, or its racially motivated. So how do you stop crime or catch criminals without carrying out searches, or asking people what they are doing. Its a constant bashing of the police on social media for everything they do, they have no help from the public anymore to assist with enquiries or making arrests, youngsters are no longer responsible for their own actions and their parents blame everything and everyone except their kids and themselves, its all turned 180 degrees in the past 30 years. I could go on and on but you get the idea. @@ThatMicro43Guy
I think a lot of people would agree with the public floggings, yes it’s antiquated, yes it’s barbaric, but ten pound to a penny it would make them think twice about being a prick again ! And if it didn’t ? Well then there’s a good reason to just get rid, we don’t “ need “ vermin like this in our world.
When I was a youngster, the most daring thing we did was pinch a few apples from the local farmer's orchard. But this kind of evil, warped vandalism would never have entered our heads. We were taught 'right from wrong' by our parents, and were later disciplined by stern school masters. Sadly this morality is absent today, because of feral parents and teachers that are too afraid and WOKE to impose discipline. What a sad society!
Knock knock ginger was the craziest I thing I did, I poop myself about getting caught, I thought it was the naughtiest thing a teenager could do. Times change, now it’s knife attacks and extreme cases of vandalism.
A 16 year old has been charged, but I doubt he did it on his own. I expect he was egged on. Everyone who is associated with this is going to have to move house - they are going to be pilloried for years and years. Imagine all the people who will have had dates there, got engaged, scattered ashes etc. And tens of thousands of walkers, not to mention all the local cafe and business owners who had a trade boost because of visitors.
@@frankjames7272 If he is 16 he might be protected, we might never know. From the comments on here it seems unlikely that it was a lone 16 year old. So he might be a scapegoat.
@@JoeEbitDawas thinking the same thing. I know of a certain group that like to move about, they use kids to do the dirty work because they never get charged. Who knows what the back story is, its only speculation at this point. We may never know who or the extent of this terrible act
An icon of Northumbria probably the most iconic.. I'm a Scot who regularly comes to that country and landscape.. A tragedy and heart felt loss is how I feel. The tree did nothing wrong. Only humans... Says it all! Ffs!
This is just vandalism on a great scale. I love trees and this one was very very special. I hope this guy gets locked up and not just a fine or community service. There are some weird idiots about these days.
And this is why photography is so important. Photographers keep a visual record for future generations to at least see the past as it was. Without these photos the memory of it's existence would be gone forever.
I'm furious, we should all be furious, and that child and his parents should have to repay the community with a lifetime of community service planting trees. I am completely disgusted. Imagine a life spanning hundreds of years ended for no reason.
100% with you. It's made me really angry hearing this news today. I walked Hadrian's Wall in 2022 for my stag do with my best mate. We stopped at the tree and enjoyed the view. Hope they find the person(s) who did this and prosecute accordingly. Disgusting.
This sort of deliberate mindless vandalism seems to be an all too common occurrence these days, I understand fully how you feel, I felt the same when some unscrupulous property developer burned down and demolished a 240 year old pub in Dudley called the Crooked House, nothing is sacred or means anything these days, evil dark times were in.
They have to make an example …to deter others… it won’t happen but laws should be changed for this type of crime…at least 5 years for the adults involved. I hope it’s not just a 16 year old as nothing will happen
This is happening at a wood where I live in Lincolnshire. A maniac at night with a chain saw. About three or four every month. They have not been cut to ground level. However, these stumps are now sprouting new growth. My sympathy to you guys. Only in England. Bring back hard labour!!
You and me both. I live 30 mins away and liked getting out on a walk over to it. Never ceased to amaze me every time you come down and see the tree between the two dips
Reminds me of when Sam and Frodo come back to Hobbiton and find the Party Tree cut down and left to rot on its side. They don't show you that part in the movies.
In the USA I got my full automobile drivers license at 15 and learners permit at 14. In grade school we got a paddle when we did stupid stuff. At 16 the person he is not a child; more like a thug or vandal. So I guess today if the 16 year old got a few paddles and jail the paddling would be cruel?
It really saddens and angers me that this sycamore tree has been chopped down; it's absolutely unbelievable and selfish that someone could act this way. They've robbed all of us of something beautiful, historic, unique and valuable, making them absolute scum. Hopefully, something can be successfully planted in its place.
Thank you for your heartfelt, eloquent testimony. What a sin and a shame this idiotic menace has committed against the world. Denver, CO feels your pain. 💯 💚🌳🌲🌴
having loved the Kevin Costner movie as a kid and remembering the iconic scene with this tree, it still sadens me even though im half way across the world in Singapore. You said it right, its evil and rather sadistic
Its so sad, I did want to photograph Sycamore Gap, being close to home but was one of those locations that you thought it would always be there. As you say it was premeditated and purely selfish. I cannot believe a single 16 year old is responsible for this. Thanks for putting out this video, I think it sums up all of the thoughts and feelings of all Northern photographers and hikers.
I am the same, I thought itd be a visit one day for when I would head down from alnwick, infact I had planned for late october to head by, now I am fuming
Strict discipline needs bringing back it worked years ago & most turned out to be fantastic decent young men & women, the soft approach does not work as we can see by today's standards
I hear you! So am I. I have taken many photos of that tree over the years (And I am from New Zealand) and then I lost all my photos in a house fire in 2019... I have photos of the tree as my FB banner and phone screen saver...so this tree is special to me, or rather was... I am so angry...and sad, so sad. thank you for saying what we all feel
Been here on many occasions, Felt nothing but anger seeing this and still i am furious, im from the north east area, what they have done is take down a tree thats been there 100s of years, it has brought money into thee area and it will affect jobs businesses, with probably a few closing down it will have a huge knock on affect and i hope whoever has done it their life is made a nightmare, either an exception of justice where they are locked up for life, or a gallow is made from the tree and they are hung from it, i would like to see some serious justice done as we have people who are getting way out of hand and it needs dealing with in a serious manner
I heard about this appalling act of vandalism first thing this morning and have been upset and furious about it all day. I know that there are many other trees being cut down and one more might not mean much to some... Certainly, there are a few commenting here that feel that way. However, this tree was special, of course, all trees are special, but this was extraordinarily so … a stunning, living, beauty that has given pleasure by its mere happenstance existence to many, many millions from the entire world. To me personally as an amateur photographer, nature lover and hiker this tree was a fixed point of nature triumphant and glorious. It captured something that made me proud and happy just to visit it. It is therefore simply heart-breaking that it has been maliciously cut down. And yes, I agree that whoever did this, whether it is the 16 year old in custody alone, or as I suspect more likely considering the seeming professionalism of the felling, with accomplices, all deserve to face the full force of the law and public condemnation. Unfortunately for the 16 year old the Forestry Act 1967 was updated on 1st January 2023 so that illegal tree felling in England is punishable by unlimited fines and prison sentences. I don’t know if the Sycamore Gap Tree has a tree protection order (TPO), (it should have!), but the legal changes also mean that even non-TPO trees are protected. Consequently, for those crying out for justice I believe that the 16 year old and his accomplices will be facing a very serious fine and custodial sentence. I would hope however that this would also involve some form of community service as well, such as litter picking and planting trees. If I was the parent of this kid I would also make him watch over the new Sycamore Gap Tree shoots or the new Sycamore tree put in for the rest of his life in order to work off the shame of it. Sadly, it will be four or five life times before this wrong will be right but such an act of contrition would at least show the way.
Whatever punishment this idiot gets won,t be severe enough! his picture should be put up everywhere and he should be barred from every shop and establishment for a 50 mile radius,to let him have time to reflect on his deed for 3 years!!! Paul from Ireland
I`m from Somerset and I`m upset about this iconic Sycamore tree, it was a National Treasure - what a beautiful tree to waste..!! Vandals cut down the ancient Hawthorn in Glastonbury, in 2010, which was planted by Joseph of Arimathea.. What is gained..?!! WHY!!!!
Why? Just why? If people can't see value in a thing, why can't they leave it for those who do? Like you say, these people had to go out of their way to do this thing. And for what? To spite the tree and everyone else?
That’s it, to spite everyone else, they have nothing, absolutely nothing going for themselves as human beings ( and I use that very lightly ) so their inner hatred brings them to do something as stupid as this, the thing is, if you were to ask them why ? They couldn’t answer you because their minute single brain cell wouldn’t be able to come up with a reason.
They need to do a country wide search for a Sycamore tree the same size as the one cut down and have it removed, then replanted in the same spot as this tree... mature trees are bought and delivered to places all the time, so the National Park CEO should start a 'Go Fund Me' page, to pay for the new tree, the removal cost, the transportation cost and the replanting cost. (Don't let that teen vandal win.)
I am with you, I am not a tree surgeon but do not need to be to see whoever cut that tree down was experienced and had the right equipment, I doubt one person on their own did it either x
petition to kew gardens who are notorious for planting big trees,i know it's not the same but see what can be done and see if another sycamore can take its place,obviously it would maybe be a smaller one but the comforting thing is that trees are related! 😢🌳
yes brilliant idea - the publicity would be good to and it would help unite the locals if it was something they could do as a community - Ps I'm bloody angry 😡🌳
I’m from Ireland and was really looking forward to visiting that particular spot. I don’t think it’s going to be the same now unfortunately. What a mindless act!
Hi Brian, thanks for this very sad news. I agree with the last writer, It's damn right Cultural Terrorism, from an Expat from Carlisle, living in Peninsular Malaysia. I've walked that section on Hadrians Wall several times, and Sycamore gap was a stopping off place for photo's and a resting place. I hope the perpetrators of this act are brought to justice, named and shamed.
I wonder if anyone has collected sycamore seeds from this tree in years gone by and grown seedlings/saplings/established trees from them ? There are precedents for replacing vandalized trees in other places, such as the famous One Tree Hill in Auckland NZ.
We had a 3500 year old tree hear in Orlando and it was a incredible tree. It got burned down several years back by a drug addict who set on fire while getting high. Such a incredible tree ruined by stupidity.
Millions around the world feel the same way mate. Never thought I would miss a single tree but this iconic global brand of sycamore gap, the destruction has got to me and feel as if I've lost a family friend..
My whole extended family is talking about this today. We are upset and enraged. My daughter was there recently with her 6 children, and they took pics next to the tree. Now its gone. The sick 16 year old will get a slap on the wrist.He should be jailed for 5 years. I know what id like to do with him with a chain saw!
Absolutely disgusted by this .what a beautiful tree that sycamore tree was. EVIL EVIL THING TO DO .WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE HI WOULD HANG THE BASTARD FROM A TREE... SUCH A SHAME...
To even attempt something so stupid in the age of social media at the age of 16. That kid is going to be spending the next 20-30 years trying to live this down.
It is absolutely disgusting behaviour!! It’s a shame they didn’t find the little wrongen under it ,now wouldn’t that be splendid ! Well unfortunately this is the world we are living in now ! Greetings Portsmouth England 🏴
Just reading the news articles now and seeing the pictures -- pretty sure that I saw it in person when I was in the UK in 1976/77 -- what was that 16-year-old thinking???
I love that film and have always wanted to visit the tree that featured in the film. I only found out where it was last year and now am very saddened to hear I’ll never get to see it. 😢
This young man should be very scared right now,one of the branches of that iconic tree should find a new use for a short time. I’m fuming at this,I was intending visiting the tree next year!
Just a thought but maybe we can learn from this. We are destroying forests and trees by the thousands every single day. But because a single tree has been chopped down, depriving humans of their social media postings we have total outrage. Maybe it's time we take a look at our priorities and instead of focusing on a single tree, it's time we actually do something to put a stop to our destruction of forests! If I were this tree I know what I'd want humans to do.
as a retired woodsman the stump tells the story,, its got a good hinge and is fairly even, and done with more than a sixteen inch bar thats no kid and no act of vandalism, so what is going on
