Two men have been convicted of felling the Sycamore Gap tree next to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England. Generations of hikers and photographers cherished the tree, which sat in a perfect dip between two hills.
Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, drove from Carlisle to Northumberland overnight in September 2023 to cut down the tree. The senseless destruction sparked outrage across the UK and beyond, drawing heartfelt tributes and widespread condemnation. The Sycamore Gap tree, often called “the most photographed tree in Britain,” became globally recognized after its appearance in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner.
On May 9, after months of investigation and legal proceedings, the men were found guilty of criminal damage. The prosecution called it a “deliberate and mindless” act. The jury unanimously concluded that the men acted with intent when they cut down the sycamore with a chainsaw.
Daniel Graham, left, and Adam Carruthers. Photo: CPS/PA
Denied responsibility
Neither of the men offered a clear motive for their actions, and both continued to deny that they were involved. Graham owned a groundworks company, and Carruthers worked in property management and mechanics. The prosecution described them as “friends with knowledge and experience in chainsaws and tree felling.”
Mobile phone data places both of them near the tree when it was cut down, and surveillance footage recorded Graham’s vehicle in the area. Videos from that day on their phones show someone using a chainsaw at the tree’s base and capture the sound of a tree crashing to the ground. Afterward, the pair shared messages about coverage of the incident.
“It’s gone viral — it is worldwide,” Graham said in a voice note. “Someone has tagged like ITV News, BBC News, Sky News, like News News News.”
It is estimated that they caused £1,144 worth of damage to Hadrian’s Wall, which was struck as the tree fell, and £622,191 of criminal damage to the tree.
Photo: Robin van Mourik/Wikimedia Commons
“The needless felling of the Sycamore Gap tree shocked people around the country and overseas, demonstrating the powerful connection between people and our natural heritage,” said the National Trust.
National significance
What made the Sycamore Gap tree so special wasn’t just its appearance and picturesque location. It was the emotion and meaning that people attached to it. It was regularly the backdrop for marriage proposals, the spreading of ashes, and family photographs.
Graham and Carruthers will be sentenced on July 15. Both face up to 10 years in prison. The conviction alone has been viewed as a strong message that such acts will not go unpunished.
While the original Sycamore Gap tree can never be replaced, there is some hope. New shoots are growing from the tree stump, and botanists collected seeds and cuttings shortly after the incident. These are now being cultivated around the UK.
