A year after the famous English plane tree was illegally felled, a new exhibition honors its legacy

On September 28, 2023, vandals illegally chopped down the so-called Sycamore Gap tree, a centuries-old plane tree next to Hadrian’s Wall in England. To mark the one-year anniversary of the incident, there is now a new exhibition celebrating the tree’s legacy.

Titled “Sycamore Gap: One Year Later”, the show opened this weekend in the Village Museum in Northumberland. It is a tribute to the tree and the collective grief that followed its unexpected demise.

“I’ve been working with wood and trees for years, and to be honest, I’m normally quite unsentimental,” says artist Charlie Whinneywho helped create the exhibition, says the Guardian‘s Mark Brown. “A tree is a tree. But this project changed my perspective… This tree meant so much to so many people.”

The show will be divided into two phases: during the first, visitors can see artwork inspired by the tree; they will also be encouraged to make pledges to preserve the natural world. These commitments are then incorporated into new works of art in the second phase.

The exhibition is about “processing what happened, what the tree meant to everyone,” Whinney said in one statement of the Sil. “In the future, we hope to give people a sense of joy and hope for nature through positive actions.”

The Sycamore Gap tree, planted in the late 19th century, was one of the most photographed trees in the country. The tree grew in popularity after its inclusion Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), starring Kevin Costner. Its picturesque canopy, perfectly framed between two rolling Northumberland hills, made it a much-loved natural landmark.

People from all over the world traveled to the Sycamore Gap tree to commemorate important life moments. Marriage proposals and birthday celebrations took place there. Families gathered to scatter the ashes of loved ones. When word spread that the tree was no longer standing, many were shocked as to why anyone would commit such a crime.

“The past twelve months have been a real rollercoaster of emotions, from the hopelessness and sadness we felt when we discovered the tree had been illegally felled, to experiencing the stories shared with us about what the tree meant to so many. meant,” says Andreas Poadmanaging director of the National Trust’s Hadrian’s Wall properties, in a statement.

Shortly after the incident, Robin Hood said director Kevin Reynolds BBC news that the tree was “one of the most quintessentially idyllic places in the world”, adding: “Now it is gone, murdered – and for what reason?”

After launching an investigation, officials two men charged with the crime. The tree is gone rated at approximately £620,000 ($825,000). The men have both denied the allegations and will stand trial in December.

In “Sycamore Gap: One Year On” the largest remaining portion of the tree’s trunk is shown Guardian. The opening also coincides with a National Trust initiative – “Trees of hope‘-which aims to keep the plane tree and its legacy alive.

After the tree was felled, experts collected seeds and cuttings. Now 49 saplings, each representing a foot of the tree’s height, will be given to groups across the UK.

“We aim to find new homes for the Sycamore Gap trees in community settings across the UK, so that people can learn about the Sycamore Gap tree and its story,” the National Trust said in a statement statement. “Our hope is that this will help more people connect with the tree’s story and become part of its legacy, creating a new chapter in the life of this beloved tree.”

Anyone in Britain can do that apply to plant one of the saplings. Entries are due on October 25th and winners will be announced on November 18th.

“Sycamore Gap: One Year Later‘ is now open at the Sill Museum in Northumberland, England.