Prosecutors in England say two men have been charged with cutting down the popular 150-year-old Sycamore Gap tree next to Hadrian’s Wall.

Two men have been charged with cutting down the popular 150-year-old Sycamore Gap tree next to Hadrian’s Wall last year in northern England, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Daniel Graham, 38, and Adam Carruthers, 31, were charged with causing criminal damage and damaging the wall built in A.D. 122 by Emperor Hadrian to guard the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire.

They were ordered to appear in Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on May 15.

The sycamore’s majestic canopy between two hills made it a popular subject for landscape photographers. It became a destination after being featured in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.”

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldMEnglish
      12·
      8 months ago

      As far as I’m concerned, it can be “we noticed the tree was destroying the wall and we cut it down before it did any more damage.” It was a unilateral decision on their part and done clandestinely. There’s just no good excuse they can give.

    • Microw@lemm.eeEnglish
      11·
      8 months ago

      If it was teenagers, this would be what I’d expect. That would at least be an explanation (a shitty one, but teenagers have stupid brains).

      Far more likely in this case that those men did it simply out of spite.