# 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:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2025, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/81 "2025-07-19T03:20:25Z")
For those who think the sentence wasn’t enough I think the court ruling is just the beginning. This is going to follow them until they pass on and then the internet will hound their memory after that. . ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2025, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/82 "2025-07-19T04:08:40Z")
That _bastard_ ---
**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:** [July 20, 2025, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/83 "2025-07-20T03:26:22Z")
Tell me about it! 😒 ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2025, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/84 "2025-07-20T14:38:22Z")
Was any explanation ever offered for why they did it? Money, fame, the girls…? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/85 "2025-07-20T14:50:25Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Was any explanation ever offered for why they did it? > Money, fame, the girls…? Nothing concrete because they have been both busy pointing the finger at each other. But the best guess seems to be fame, sorta. Apparently in the aftermath they were very excited by the notoriety it attracted and how viral it became. This is before they got arrested. After that they turned on each other like Kilkenny cats. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2025, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/86 "2025-07-20T14:54:29Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Was any explanation ever offered for why they did it? Some people are too small to leave a mark in history by creating something. So they leave a mark by destroying something. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2025, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/87 "2025-07-20T22:42:50Z")
That’s likely the best explanation. Perhaps with some alcohol or other mind-altering substance thrown in. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2025, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/88 "2025-07-21T12:47:15Z")
I agree with the idea that if anybody does something criminal specifically for fame, they deserve an extra harsh sentence for it. Now, it should be on the state to prove this part. It seems particularly easy in this case, but maybe there’s more to it than we know. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2025, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/89 "2025-07-21T13:02:02Z")
> **[Largest part of Sycamore Gap tree goes on display](https://news.sky.com/video/largest-part-of-sycamore-gap-tree-goes-on-display-13394949)** > > Artist Charlie Whinney speaks to Sky News about what the tree meant to people and how his team went about designing the display. The iconic Sycamore Gap tree was felled in 2023. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/90 "2025-07-23T17:28:21Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Just chiming in to say I agree. There’s a reason why we have laws and punishments already in place rather than deciding it based on how angry I am at the time. Otherwise we’d still be chopping peoples heads off. I agree too. Using predetermined law prevents people from devolving into lynch mob mentality and doing things they later regret. ---
**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 9, 2025, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833/91 "2025-09-09T13:24:51Z")
Bumped because I saw a news article about determining the age of the tree in question. It surprised me that it’s not older. [Sycamore Gap’s age revealed: Iconic tree that was felled by yobs is dated using expert technique](https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/sycamore-gap-s-age-revealed-iconic-tree-that-was-felled-by-yobs-is-dated-using-expert-technique/ar-AA1LPa3B) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/historic-british-tree-is-maliciously-cut-down/990833.md?page=4)