# Historic British tree is maliciously cut down **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 28, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833 "2023-09-28T19:40:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/1 "2023-09-28T19:40:02Z")
A beautiful, 200-plus-year-old sycamore felled, apparently, by some young idjit: > **[Sycamore Gap: 16-year-old boy arrested after famous tree ‘deliberately felled’...](https://www.cnn.com/travel/sycamore-gap-tree-deliberately-felled-britain/index.html)** > > The Sycamore Gap tree, located in a natural dip in the landscape alongside Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England, is believed to have been chopped down in what authorities are calling an “act of vandalism.” ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/2 "2023-09-28T19:41:45Z")
Yes. Stupid bastard. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/3 "2023-09-28T19:43:13Z")
Perpetrator was reported to have said, “I cannot tell a lie…I did cut it with my hatchet.” ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/4 "2023-09-28T19:45:01Z")
So, a liar as well. It was obviously done with a chainsaw. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/5 "2023-09-28T19:47:06Z")
“We must not allow a Sycamore Gap!” ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/6 "2023-09-28T20:19:45Z")
A tree that large would be dangerous for an amateur to cut down. How it falls is unpredictable without ropes to pull it in a specific direction. It’s very frustrating that a attraction that drew tourists was destroyed by one a-hole. I’m not sure the laws allow for stiff punishment for tree cutting. But this teen needs some jail time for what he did. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/7 "2023-09-28T20:34:17Z")
“People… they’re the worst!” - Jerry Seinfeld ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/8 "2023-09-28T21:47:33Z")
A little Gorilla Glue and some Duct Tape, good as new! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/9 "2023-09-28T22:00:19Z")
Obviously the authorities weren’t minding the gap. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/10 "2023-09-28T22:03:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > A tree that large would be dangerous for an amateur to cut down. Not condoning the act but that is pretty impressive for a 16 yro and a chainsaw. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/11 "2023-09-28T22:24:01Z")
I’ve cut small weed trees on my property. I leave big trees to a Tree Service. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/12 "2023-09-28T22:27:17Z")
What!? No JBWeld handy? ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/13 "2023-09-28T22:41:06Z")
I’d go with JBWeld too. It has NEVER failed to stick whatever I wanted to stick together. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/14 "2023-09-29T15:04:03Z")
Then stick the kid to the bars of his cell, if he’s convicted. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/15 "2023-09-29T15:12:31Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > A tree that large would be dangerous for an amateur to cut down. How it falls is unpredictable without ropes to pull it in a specific direction. As an amateur tree feller, I have to point out that from the pictures I’ve seen, the tree, although large, looks like it would be easy to take down in a controlled manner. It’s a very straight tree with a balanced crown. It’s the kind of tree I can notch and drop in a predicted direction. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/16 "2023-09-29T15:20:06Z")
Anyone else wanna just ask, “Why?” Over and over. Like, something was _that_ messed up at home, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/17 "2023-09-29T15:50:35Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > As an amateur tree feller, I have to point out that from the pictures I’ve seen, the tree, although large, looks like it would be easy to take down in a controlled manner. The biggest problem with felling a large tree is hitting nearby buildings/structures or getting it hung up on nearby trees. In this case, where you don’t care where it falls, it simplifies the operation. Yes, you might 180 it or have it spin on the way down, but in this case who cares? Felling any big tree can be dangerous, but remove the surrounding obstacles makes the whole thing much less stressful. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/18 "2023-09-29T15:54:24Z")
Some people think it’s better to be famous for something stupid than to linger in obscurity. It’s called [herostratic fame](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herostratus) after Herostratus, the arsonist who destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. So far I haven’t seen the name of the tree-feller in any of the articles I read and I hope it stays that way. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/19 "2023-09-29T15:56:45Z")
It’s probably more because the suspect is a juvenile, but I agree in principle. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2023, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/20 "2023-09-29T16:05:05Z")
At least this vandal got caught, unlike whoever decided to take a chainsaw to the internet-famous [Broccoli Tree](https://petapixel.com/2018/03/08/broccoli-tree-dangers-sharing-photos-love/). ETA: That 4-minute vlogbrothers video linked at the top of the article is great. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833.md?page=2)