Historic England Publishes New Research on the Age of the Felled Sycamore Gap Tree
New research published by Historic England has confirmed a minimum age for the famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland. The evidence suggests the tree was at least 100 to 120 years old when it was illegally felled. It probably appeared in the landscape in the late 19th century or earlier.
The dendrochronological (tree-ring counting) investigation by Historic England’s national Investigative Science team was carried out after the tree was illegally felled in September 2023.
The Historic England investigation is the first research into the age of the Sycamore Gap tree to have scientifically analysed a sample of the tree itself.
By counting the sequence of tree-rings taken from a cross-section of the felled part of the tree, the researchers were able to arrive at an estimated overall count of 100-120 growth rings for the 2 main stems.
Each ring typically indicates 1 year of growth, suggesting the tree is at least 100 to 120 years old.
Crucially, this represents the age of the 2 main stems represented in the section of the tree being analysed, which was around 1 metre off the ground.
The oldest rings representing the very first years of the tree’s life would be represented lower down the tree, in the base of its trunk, suggesting it was first planted in the late 19th century.
Scientific sampling and preparation
A slice from the entire cross-section of the tree was cut from the bottom end of the felled trunk, securely wrapped and carefully transported to Fort Cumberland Laboratories, Portsmouth where Historic England’s national science facility is located.
To prepare the sample for scientific dating, its surface was first levelled, before being sanded in stages to the highest grit available without tearing its surface fibres.
Analysis and results
After preparation, the tree slice was closely analysed by Historic England’s Investigative Science team to count the number of rings along a series of transects across the cross-sectional surface.
The sycamore’s wood was recorded as in good condition, with a very pale white or cream colour.
Across the majority of the cross-sectional surface, the rings are relatively clear, but in some places the ring boundaries are less distinctive, with growth anomalies also present such as a single boundary splitting into three separate rings before reforming into one. These anomalies made it challenging to obtain precise ring counts.
A distinctive feature visible in the wood slice is a line of ‘internal’ bark in the middle which indicates the sycamore was once multiple individual trunks which then fused together. The 2 main stems would have fused together when they were around 30 to 35 years old.
As well as obtaining estimated ring counts to aim to establish a minimum age for the tree, some high magnification images were taken to highlight the tree’s characteristics at a microscopic level.
The cross-sectional slice of the tree used for the scientific analysis has been stored securely at Fort Cumberland. It is expected to be added to the Historic England National Wood Collection, and made available for potential future research.
Potential for future research
This research only provides an initial estimate of the tree’s age by counting its rings at the point where the sample was taken. Sycamores are also inherently more difficult to accurately date using ring-counting technology, due to their tree-rings being less obviously defined than other trees such as oaks.
Historic England is currently exploring a range of other potential research techniques, including using advanced imaging techniques in conjunction with the University of Exeter's Digital Humanities lab.
Using these further methods, it may be possible to improve the visualisation of the tree rings to provide a more accurate tree-ring count.
A world famous tree in a protected landscape
The famous Sycamore Gap tree stood in a natural gap in the landscape next to Hadrian’s Wall, which is protected both as a scheduled monument and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
After the Sycamore Gap tree was felled on Thursday 28 September 2023, Historic England assisted partner organisations including Northumbria Police with the investigation into its felling.
Historic England’s North East regional office requested the scientific dating of the tree in order to establish its minimum age.
Following a police investigation 2 men were arrested and subsequently charged with criminal damage. The research report into the age of the tree was included in the evidence gathered in advance of the criminal trial by the Police and Crown Prosecution Service.
In May 2025 both men were found guilty of illegally felling the tree, and were later sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison.
Since the illegal felling, Historic England, The National Trust and Northumberland National Park have worked together to create a series of initiatives designed to mark the legacy of the tree and engage communities at a local and national level.
It has been a privilege working with colleagues on such an iconic tree and being able to contribute to our knowledge and understanding of its history in the landscape.
Retaining the slice in Historic England’s National Wood Collection will ensure that it is kept safe for the nation.
Historic England’s analysis of the Sycamore Gap tree was different from my usual work which focuses on historic buildings and archaeological sites.
The research also provided some challenges, such as the ring boundaries of sycamores being less obviously defined than some other tree species, and also the comparative scarcity of existing reference data on historic sycamore trees compared to other trees such as oak or pine.
I hope that this research adds further to its fascinating story and contributes to its remarkable legacy.
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