A piece of the illegally felled Sycamore Gap tree is set to go on permanent display.
Two men were found guilty of chopping down the world-famous tree in September 2023, in an act that sparked global outrage.
Now people will be able to get up close to the tree once again as part of its trunk will be going on display at Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland – two miles away from where the tree stood.
The installation created by artist Charlie Whinney includes a piece of the tree that is more than 6ft (2m) long, and is surrounded by steam-bent wood that twists around the original trunk and three benches.
A public consultation was held to decide what to do with the remains of the much-loved tree, which included a workshop with children and any written contributions people wanted to make.
On the three benches, words taken from people’s submissions have been inscribed.
“They wanted to be able to sit down, so we made some benches, and also pretty much 100 per cent of the people we spoke to said they want to be able to access the tree and touch it,” Mr Whinney told the BBC.
He said: “I really hope what we’ve done in some small way allows the people of Northumberland and those who held this tree close to their hearts to process the loss they still feel from that day in September 2023, when the tree was illegally cut down. The work looks forward with hope, the tree is regrowing, and Sycamore Gap will always be a magical place to visit.”
The Northumberland National Park Authority (NNPA) received letters, emails and messages in visitor books with people talking about the tree.
Tony Gates, chief executive of the NNPA, explained that the past 18 months since the tree was felled have been difficult and that the opening of the installation on Thursday will be a big moment.
“Back in September 2023, people felt they’d lost the tree forever and maybe in some ways felt they’d lost those memories of those life events,” he told the BBC.
“To be sat here today, to be part of that tree with this beautiful installation, it gives me a ray of hope for the future, this is a time to look forward and a time for us to repledge to do positive things for nature.”
The tree was not Britain’s biggest or oldest, but it was prized for its picturesque setting symmetrically planted between two hills along the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in AD122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman empire, and had attracted generations of followers.
The tree had been known to locals but received international attention in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It drew tourists, lovers, landscape photographers and even those who spread the ashes of loved ones.
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, from Cumbria, are due to be sentenced on 15 July after being found guilty of felling the tree.
Sycamore Gap tree trunk installation to go on display
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