A year after the illegal felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree which formerly stood proudly in the gap, towering above Hadrian’s Wall, details are today (Friday, September 27) revealed about the legacy of the tree and plans for the future.
The unprecedented outpouring of emotion after the tree was felled one year ago, overnight on September 27, sharply bought into focus, the importance of everyday nature spectacles, to people’s lives.
Over the last year, the partnership jointly led by the National Trust and Northumberland National Park Authority and Historic England have been working together with other partners to find inspiring ways to ensure the legacy of this iconic tree lives on.
Today, The Northumberland National Park Authority, unveils the first phase of the Sycamore Gap exhibition at The Sill: National Landscape Recovery Centre in Northumberland, entitled, Sycamore Gap: One Year On.
The exhibition, developed by artist Charlie Whinney and Creative Communities CIC, will see the largest section of the original tree’s wood installed at The Sill in a temporary exhibition that invites people to be part of the artwork.
Opening the exhibition, 240 children from 13 local schools are taking part in a celebration of the tree’s life to mark the anniversary.
Also today, the National Trust is announcing the opportunity for people to request one of the Sycamore Gap saplings.
Its ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative, where 49 saplings – one to represent each foot of the height that the tree was at the time of felling, will be gifted to communities around the country.
People from around the UK are invited to apply for a tree to plant in a publicly accessible spaces, which have emotional connections with people and different communities. For more information and to apply visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/TreesOfHope.
The anniversary exhibition at The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre – which centres around the themes of people, place and hope, aims to provide space for people to remember the tree, and then move forward positively, in addition to featuring the largest remaining section of the trunk.
This will mark the ‘one year on’ moment, and open to the public at The Sill, the gateway to the National Park on Saturday (September 28).
As part of the exhibition, visitors will be invited to make promises to nature. These promises will go on to be incorporated into the second and final phase of the commission to ensure the legacy of the tree reflects people, place and nature. This final exhibition is set to open at The Sill by Easter 2025.
Charlie Whinney of ‘Creative Communities CIC’ art collective was announced as artist for the commission in June.
Charlie says: “We are inviting people to make promises to nature which will find their way into the final piece of art.
“This show is the half-way part of our project, processing what happened, what the tree meant to everyone, and the wonderful regrowth which now counts at 25 new shoots. It marks the beginning of our public engagement process.
“Going forward, we hope to empower people with a sense of joy and hope for the natural world through positive actions, which starts now.”
The commission has been funded by The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.
The foundation is providing £50,000 for the project, including from North East Roots fund, which enables people living elsewhere to give back to the region.
The Linden Family, Michael and Christine Heppell and Duncan and Sarah Davidson funds at the Community Foundation are also contributing alongside a dedicated gift from Nadara.
Rob Williamson, chief executive of the Community Foundation, says: “A year ago, I asked the National Park how we could help celebrate the Sycamore Gap Tree knowing a number of our donors, especially those giving to our North East Roots fund, would want to support a fitting legacy.
“We are delighted that some of those donors have come to The Sill today to see the fantastic work Charlie has created, made possible by their generosity. They have fully funded this legacy exhibition so visitors now and in the future will be able to celebrate this North East icon.”
Later today 240 school children from 13 local schools, will be taking part in a celebration that will see them bring their own artwork inspired by the tree for display at The Sill, which they have produced with local artists.
The children will also take part in workshops with artists, actors and specialists in the environment’ and join in a group rendition of a new musical piece inspired by the tree by local singer and songwriter Catherine Davidson and an interpretation of Spell Songs song ‘Heartwood’.
Mike Glenton, headteacher of Henshaw and Greenhead, who has co-ordinated this project between the 13 local schools, says: “All schools local to the Sycamore Gap have relished being part of this project; it has been really moving to feel the enthusiasm and passion which teachers and children have brought to remembering this much-loved part of our local heritage.
“We see the tree every day, as it is our school logo at Henshaw and Greenhead, but this project, which was kindly funded by the North East Combined Authority, has helped us all remember how much Sycamore Gap means to us all.
“Working with local artists, it was important for schools to concentrate on regeneration and rebirth as we wanted this event to be a positive memory for our pupils but also for the children to understand that the sycamore tree is still alive and flourishing, despite the adversity it has faced.”
Tony Gates, chief executive of Northumberland National Park Authority comments: “From the very beginning it was clear what people wanted us to do in response to the tragedy. They wanted us to help nature thrive, provide space for reflection and work with artists.
“Since then, all partners have worked diligently to ensure a fitting legacy for the tree in different ways. This new exhibition displays the largest piece of the trunk so that people can see and be with the tree and reflect on events over the last year.
"I would like to thank the National Trust and of course the Community Foundation for their generosity in allowing this commission to happen and for giving the opportunity for people to reconnect with the tree.”
Andrew Poad, General Manager for the National Trust’s Hadrian Wall properties says: “The last 12 months have been a real roller coaster of emotions from the hopelessness and grief we felt when we discovered that the tree had been illegally felled, to experiencing the stories shared with us about just what the tree meant to so many.
“One of the first actions that served us so well was the collection of some of the seeds from the tree. These were sent straight away to the Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre in Devon where the team have worked tirelessly to successfully propagate over 100 seedlings and grafted nine other saplings – so we have the trees descendants for the future.”
He added: “In announcing our ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative today, we aim to find new homes in community settings across the UK so people can have the opportunity to engage with the Sycamore Gap Tree and its legacy[3] so that more people everywhere can feel that they are part of this story – that they are a part of this tree’s wonderful legacy, helping to create a new chapter in the life of this legendary tree.”
To inspire people or groups who may want to request one of the trees, the National Trust will be announcing the first projects this morning – one in the North East and one in the south west of England.
As part of the Trees of Hope initiative, Henshaw Church of England Primary School as the closest school to the Sycamore Gap Tree, and all 15 UK National Parks will also receive a sapling that will find new homes in some of the most beautiful landscapes in the UK.
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A sapling was ceremonially presented to all National Parks by Sarah Pemberton, Assistant Director of Operations for the National Trust in the North East, at the UK National Parks Conference 2024 in Newcastle earlier this week.
Each National Park took away a promise allocating them one of the saplings, which will be distributed by the National Trust when the young trees are hardy enough to be planted out.
The Sycamore Gap: One Year On exhibition at The Sill runs from Saturday, September 28 until Sunday, November 3. The second and final exhibition, which will see the wood installed permanently into The Sill will open by Easter 2025.For more information about the exhibition visit: https://www.thesill.org.uk/exhibition/sycamore-gap-one-year-on-exhibition/
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