Trial starts for 2 men accused of felling beloved Sycamore Gap tree in northern England

LONDON — There is a hole in the heart of the rolling hills of northern England.

A majestic sycamore tree that once sat symmetrically between two hills along Hadrian's Wall was mysteriously felled more than a year and a half ago, causing disbelief and distress for those who considered it an almost sacred site.

''We're still devastated by it,'' said Catherine Cape, who runs a guest cabin nearby. "I can't drive past it. ... I just don't like looking at the space there.''

Cape was among those keen to see the outcome of a trial that began Monday in Newcastle Crown Court as a jury was seated to weigh the evidence against two men accused of toppling the famous Sycamore Gap tree and damaging the ancient wall.

Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, have pleaded not guilty to two counts each of criminal damage. Prosecutors said the value of the tree exceeded 620,000 pounds ($827,000) and damage to the wall was assessed at 1,100 pounds ($1,468).

The two-week trial opened with Justice Christina Lambert telling prospective jurors that the case was about a single tree felled by a chainsaw and that they would have to set any emotion aside if they were familiar with the incident.

''I am sure each and every one of you have heard about the case given the level of media interest which it has engaged,'' the judge said.

Prosecutors haven't said what evidence they have or what inspired the suspects to cut down the revered tree. The list of witnesses included more than a half-dozen police officers, a forensic expert and members of the Forestry Commission, Historic England and the National Trust, which owns the wall and tree.

Tourist attraction

A criminal prosecution for cutting down a tree is rare and the potential for any prison time for such an offense — not to mention that the maximum penalty for criminal damage is 10 years behind bars — is possibly unprecedented, said attorney Sarah Dodd who specializes in tree law.

''I don't think anybody has got a custodial sentence for the illegal felling of a tree yet in the U.K.,'' said Dodd, who researched it and discussed the matter with colleagues. ''That's on the table because of the gravity of the situation. And when I say gravity, I think value and also shock of the nation.''

The tree was far from Britain's biggest or oldest. But the way the tree's graceful canopy filled the saddle in the hills along a stretch of the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire had attracted generations of followers. The wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The tree became famous after being featured in Kevin Costner's 1991 film ''Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves,'' and was a big draw for tourists, landscape photographers and people snapping selfies for social media.

''I've never had so many conversations as I've had about the Sycamore Gap,'' said Dodd, who plans to attend the trial as a once-in-a-career opportunity. ''Everybody knows about it. It's captured the hearts or the attention at least of the whole of the U.K. Even people that don't really care about trees or would not really even think about it.''

‘It was a source of great pride'

The grassy spot along the wall had been the site of first kisses, wedding proposals and a place where the ashes of loved ones were scattered.

Cape walked to the tree on the first dates with her future husband. They later watched their daughter take her first steps there. And after her mother and sister both died in 2020, Cape met her brother-in-law and nephews there when they couldn't gather indoors during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Before the tree was cut down, about 80% of the inquiries at the main visitors' center of the Northumberland National Park were from people planning to walk to the tree, the park's chief executive, Tony Gates, said after the tree was cut down.

"The tree's part of our Northumbrian identity. It's something that everybody grows up knowing about,'' Cape said. ''For the people in the villages around the tree, who live near the tree, it was a source of great pride.''

The sycamore was removed with a crane and taken to a National Trust property for storage. A section of the trunk went on display at the park visitor center last year and seeds from the tree that were used to grow saplings are being donated for planting around the U.K.

In time, the tree itself may grow back. Dozens of shoots have sprouted from the stump.