Sycamore Gap's age revealed: Iconic tree that was felled by yobs is dated using expert technique
The iconic Sycamore Gap tree was likely more than 120 years old when it was felled by yobs, experts have found.
The tree, which stood in a natural gap in the landscape next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was cut down by two chainsaw-wielding men in September 2023.
Made famous in 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, the tree became a national and global icon and was a favourite spot for romantic moments and scenic Instagram snaps.
Its felling provoked a national outcry and police investigation that culminated in the arrest and conviction of Carlisle pair Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, who were described by prosecutors as having an act of 'mindless vandalism'.
The tree's remains were analysed by a team of experts from national heritage body Historic England.
The researchers found the tree to be at least 100 to 120 years old when it was cut down.
The experts took a slice from the cross section of the trunk, before wrapping and transporting it to its national science facility in Portsmouth.
They then counted the tree rings, arriving at an estimate of between 100 and 120 years for the two main stems of the trunk, which were about a metre off the ground.
Rings each typically indicate a year of growth, meaning the tree is at least a century old.
But the oldest rings representing the first years of the tree's life would be lower down at the base of the trunk, which suggests the tree was first planted even earlier, in the late 19th century.
The findings align with the belief that the tree was planted in the late 1800s by local landowner John Clayton.
The team said the rings were clear across a majority of the surface, but they were less distinctive in others so it was challenging to obtain precise counts.
Elsewhere, they observed a distinctive feature in the form of 'internal' bark – a line in the middle of the section that indicates the sycamore was at one time multiple individual trunks which fused together.
The two main stems fused when they were around 30 to 35 years old, the team said.
Zoe Hazell, senior palaeoecologist with Historic England's Investigative Science team, said: 'It has been a privilege working with colleagues on such an iconic tree and being able to contribute to our knowledge and understanding of its history in the landscape.
'Retaining the slice in HE's National Wood Collection will ensure that it is kept safe for the nation.'
Cathy Tyers, a dendrochronologist with the Investigative Science team, said: 'Historic England's analysis of the Sycamore Gap tree was different from my usual work which focuses on historic buildings and archaeological sites.
'The research also provided some challenges, such as the ring boundaries of sycamores being less obviously defined than some other tree species, and also the comparative scarcity of existing reference data on historic sycamore trees compared to other trees such as oak or pine.
'I hope that this research adds further to its fascinating story and contributes to its remarkable legacy.'
Graham and Carruthers were jailed for four years in July.
The labourers chopped down the iconic tree in a matter of minutes having driven 40 minutes from Carlisle under the cover of darkness on September 27, 2023 in Graham's Range Rover, nicknamed the 'Black Pig'.
They even kept a wedge of the trunk as a trophy and were said to be 'loving it' when news of the destruction made headlines around the world the following day.
Since Sycamore Gap's felling, Historic England, the National Trust and Northumberland National Park have created a series of initiatives to mark the legacy of the tree and engage communities at a local and national level.
The slice of the tree used for the scientific analysis has been stored securely at the Portsmouth laboratory and is expected to be added to Historic England's National Wood Collection where it can be made available for future research.
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