Sycamore Gap: Hadrian's Wall 'damaged' by the felling of tree

Hadrian's Wall was damaged during the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree, Historic England has said.

The 300-year-old tree in Northumberland was cut down last week in what has been described as a “deliberate act of vandalism” by detectives.

Historic landmark Hadrian's Wall stands next to where the Sycamore had been and the tree had toppled over the wall when it came down.

Now, Historic England have confirmed the wall sustained "some damage" from the felling after an inspection.

A Historic England statement read: “We visited Sycamore Gap on Friday for a preliminary inspection.

“Whilst we identified that Hadrian’s Wall has sustained some damage, we have not been able to access the site to carry out a full investigation so a further archaeological appraisal will take place once the site is considered safe.

“As the government’s heritage adviser, we are involved because Hadrian’s Wall is protected as a scheduled monument.

“We appreciate how strongly people feel about the loss of the tree, and its impact on this special historic landscape, and will continue to work closely with key partners as this progresses.”

The wall was built by the Roman army on the orders of emperor Hadrian to reduce invasions from the north and has Unesco World Heritage status. A Sycamore sapling planted after the felling had to be removed due to the wall's historic status.

Northumbria Police have so far arrested two people in connection with the felling of the tree. A 16-year-old boy and a man in his 60s have both been released on bail as investigations continue.

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