Sycamore Gap: Poet Laureate Simon Armitage pens tribute to beloved tree

Simon Armitage posted the the tribute to 20,000 followers on Instagram. Credit: PA

The poet laureate has penned a tribute to the felled tree at Sycamore Gap.

Paying homage to the famous tree, Simon Armitage shared his poem The Holy Land in an Instagram post.

The tree, which is thought to have stood in the a dip on Hadrian's Wall for several hundred years, was felled overnight between 27 and 28 September in what police believe was a deliberate act of vandalism.

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Armitage, who took over from Carol Ann Duffy as the UK's poet laureate in 2019, posted the tribute to 20,000 followers on Instagram.

The Huddersfield-born poet shares his feelings about the felling of the tree, with his followers praising his measured response and empathy shown towards the person responsible for it.

The British Poet Laureate is an honorary position appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom, currently on the advice of the prime minister.

Simon Armitage took over from Carol Ann Duffy as Poet Laureate in 2019. Credit: PA

The North East community was been left bereft by the felling of the landmark and tributes have been sent from all over world in the weeks since.

The tree was later removed by crane and moved to a national trust property, where it is now being stored.

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