Hadrian’s Wall irreversibly damaged in mindless act of vandalism

It may have survived for 1,900 years as one of the most famous landmarks of Roman Britain, but Hadrian’s Wall has now been left with a permanent reminder of a more recent act of stupidity.

Historic England has said the wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, suffered damage when the beloved Sycamore Gap tree was felled at the end of September.

The picturesque sycamore’s main trunk collapsed over the wall that ran directly beside it, after it was chainsawed overnight by an unknown vandal.

Following an assessment by archaeologists, the heritage body has discovered fragments were chipped off when the tree fell, and cracks have also been left in stones.

The new information has now been passed on to police as the investigation into the chainsawing continues.

In a tweet, Historic England said: ‘We’ve carried out an archaeological appraisal of the damage to Hadrian’s Wall and can confirm there are some cracks and fragments broken off from 2 of the facing stones, which we believe have been caused by the felling of the Sycamore tree.’

A total of four people have been arrested over the felling of the sycamore, which was regarded as an icon of north-east England.

Former lumberjack Walter Renwick, 69, and a 16-year-old boy were arrested soon after the incident before being released.

The latest two men to be questioned, who are both in their thirties, were both released on police bail.

The National Trust, which runs the site, removed the tree with a crane around three weeks ago, cutting it up to make it easier to manoeuvre.

There have been a massive number of suggestions sent in by members of the public for what to do with the wood from the sycamore, the charity said, including a memorial bench or a sculpture telling the story of the area.

Northumbria Police believe the felling of the tree was a deliberate act of vandalism.

Last month, it was revealed that detectives were investigating specks of chainsaw oil left at the scene, which could provide a unique ‘fingerprint’ to lead them towards a suspect.

The additional damage to Hadrian’s Wall may result in a more severe penalty for the culprit or culprits of the felling.

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