Talk:Sycamore Gap tree

some 80s history

https://the-past.com/feature/the-tale-of-a-tree-an-archaeological-history-of-sycamore-gap/

Mostly about the wall by the tree but it does touch on the tree in passing.©Geni (talk) 15:21, 1 May 2025 (UTC)

It says this: "The earliest record of this length appears in the unpublished journals of the great Northumbrian historian John Hodgson (1779-1845). An entry dated 18 October 1832 (vol. Z, p.402) shows the profile of the gap with a stone enclosure and the outline of a tree, the first representation of the sycamore. The enclosure had been constructed to preserve the tree from grazing cattle or sheep, and appears on the first six-inch Ordnance Survey map (1860). The date in Hodgson’s notebook gives a terminus ante quem for the sycamore, but when was it planted? Some recent newspaper reports have suggested it was under George I (r. 1714-1727), a century before Hodgson's sketch, but future dendrochronological dating may yield greater precision." Hodgson might be worth a mention, but what is already in the article seems to be more definitive? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 15:38, 1 May 2025 (UTC)

Possibly worth mentioning the wall originally around the tree but also that there was an excavation next to it in 1983.©Geni (talk) 17:18, 1 May 2025 (UTC)

added earlier possible date. FWIW the map meant is probably this one from 1866 https://maps.nls.uk/view/102346446 .©Geni (talk) 23:02, 6 May 2025 (UTC)

dendrochronological dating says 100 to 120 years which is unhelpful

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgygex6k87o

©Geni (talk) 21:05, 5 September 2025 (UTC)

Locals

"Locals did not hear the felling due to the high winds caused by Storm Agnes." How close to the tree, exactly, did these locals live? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:33, 13 May 2025 (UTC)

References

Gallery

Per WP:GALLERY, I'm not sure that all of these images need to be in the article. The panorama is OK, but the others don't really add much to what is here already. ♦IanMacM♦ ^{(talk to me)} 20:08, 5 May 2026 (UTC)

Agree. I boldly removed them, but left the panorama. Happy to be reverted if further discussion is needed by anyone. 10mmsocket (talk) 21:00, 5 May 2026 (UTC)

Robin Hood tree?

Is this really a WP:COMMONNAME for the tree? Many news stories note that it appeared in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, but its most common name is the Sycamore Gap tree. I'm not sure that this is worthy of an appearance in the first sentence. Also, in the news this week is this tree, which has a better claim to being known as the Robin Hood tree. I'm tempted to remove Robin Hood tree from the opening sentence. ♦IanMacM♦ ^{(talk to me)} 10:21, 19 June 2026 (UTC)

"Sycamore Gap tree" is surely more common, but "Robin Hood tree" is common enough to justify a mention, I think – especially given that Robin Hood tree currently redirects to this article. There's no reason that we can't mention the nickname in both articles if it's also a common alternative name for the Major Oak – currently that article notes the association with Robin Hood in folklore but doesn't say that it's known as the Robin Hood tree.

If "Robin Hood tree" can also refer to the Major Oak, perhaps we should consider either a hatnote at the top of this article or making Robin Hood treeRobin Hood tree/Robin Hood TreeRobin Hood Tree into a disambiguation page instead. Caeciliusinhorto-public (talk) 11:29, 19 June 2026 (UTC)