Posted on 09/28/2023 10:55:44 PM PDT by Morgana
Bizzare theories are swirling tonight over why the world famous Sycamore Gap tree, which appeared in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, was chopped down in the middle of the night, as a 16-year-old boy is quizzed by police.
The much-loved landmark at Sycamore Gap, next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland.
Mystery surrounds how the damage could have been done, with some theorising that 'a professional who knew where they were going to cut' was responsible, perhaps requiring a torch to complete the job at night. It is possible the perpetrator would have required an accomplice to hold the light or assist with a chainsaw - but police have not yet confirmed how many people were involved.
One person took to social media X to say they were 'morbidly curious' to find out who chopped the historic tree down and what their motivation was for 'destroying a piece of living history'. They added: 'If only trees could talk.'
Northumbria Police confirmed this afternoon that a 16-year-old boy had been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and was in police custody.
Following this an X, formerly Twitter, user said: 'No way could a 16-year-old wimpy kid do that on his own. I smell a rat.' While another user questioned: 'What's the motive - I can't fathom it?'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
All I can say is make the kid pay for a new tree and fertilize it yearly with Miracle Gro, for the rest of his life.
This is my Speculation Of The Day:
The tree cutter is probably a teenager who is either a recent immigrant or first generation citizen. This boy is probably Muslim in faith.
Why do I say that? Because it’s possible that at some point in time, the people from that locale were at odds with a group belonging to some form of the Muslim faith. They tend to never let go of a grudge, especially, if a conflict resulted in the Muslim side being defeated.
Perhaps this teen thinks he is avenging his own people, by destroying a beloved symbol of his enemy’s civilized world.
...OR
Maybe somebody said, “Hey, Mate, hold my pint, and you just watch this!...Get your cell phones at the ready.”
Until they release information, we don’t know.
16 year old boys often don’t have an appreciation of history.
I hope they plant a new one, because the shoots won’t grow as majestic as the original tree.
I know of a good fertilizer for the new tree...
It's highly unlikely that was done by a 16 year old at night with somebody holding a flashlight. Most English kids have never seen a chainsaw, much less would they be able to fell a large tree like that. Dropping a good sized tree like that is not that easy to do correctly.
Good details, and thanks for your post. The tree was also marked all around with white paint, at the cut line, as they do when planning a tree removal, and there is no reason for a teenage vandal to do that.
This event is a humdinger! Inexplicable.
So concerned about a tree, but ambivalent about child exploitation.
I think it’s too early in the investigation to rule out an accidental chopping down.
Perhaps not, although one could select for a single stump sprout and, supported by a mature root system, it would grow faster than a new sapling.
On the other hand, it would be completely legitimate to coppice the tree. Let all the shoots grow back. It's what they would have done in Robin Hood's day.
Given that it was a pro job, it could be someone was hired to cut a tree down but either the contractor went to the wrong tree or was misdirected to it.
I didn’t notice it explicitly in the article, but since the Northumberland National Park Authority commented on this, I wonder if the are it’s in is in a park.
So I wouldn’t be surprised if a park employee gave someone the wrong directions to a tree to cut down. Since it’s a park, maybe they use a system where coordinates are provided and there was a typo or the location reading on the contractors cell phone was off or what not.
You have to be tought history to appreciate it.
“It has sparked claims that the tree was vandalised by a ‘professional’ and the park authority believes it was deliberately chopped down.”
No. Someone “accidentally” cut it down. Journalists are among the stupidest among us. It doesn’t take a professional to cut down a tree like that. Only an idiot with a chainsaw.
I think it may be in a National Park. It sits right on Hadrian’s wall and many people hike along the entire wall that crosses England. We were to see this tree and the wall in August but covid stopped that plan while were in there.
I’m sick now that we missed that chance.
I don’t think a 16 y/o could hold a chainsaw that size, although, they could have helped who. ever did this. The white paint on the tree is puzzling though.
That is true.
The question that raises is why a contractor would do the job at night. I have dropped big trees at night when I was a firefighter for the USFS, and it is really dangerous and really scary. Whenever possible, we'd wait until daylight.
I don't think this was a 16-year-old's prank, though. Hope the real story comes out someday.
My gut says it’s one of the “STOP OIL” terrorists.
‘No way could a 16-year-old wimpy kid do that on his own. I smell a rat.’
First thing I thought when I saw the perfectly cut tree lying on the ground. I’ve seen tree guys in action. They’ll mark the spot that the top of, say, a seventy foot pine will come to rest, and hit it exactly. There’s a lot that can go very wrong if you’re inexperienced.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_Ténéré
The Tree of Ténéré was a tree in Africa that was so isolated the nearest tree was almost 100 miles away. It was considered a landmark in the area.
Until a drunk driver hit it with a truck in 1973 and destroyed it.
I couldn’t have done a better job than that & that’s not a small tree
That was my thought upon seeing the photo, it was a pro that cut it, and not with a small chainsaw.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.