The tree from Kevin Costner's 'Robin Hood' is the focal point of a criminal trial.

      The renowned tree had stood for over a century but was taken down in under three minutes.

      On the morning of September 28, 2023, the residents of Britain were stunned to learn that the famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland had been intentionally cut down.

      Local men Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were quickly apprehended and charged with criminal damage, with their trial commencing earlier this week.

      Commonly referred to as “the Robin Hood tree” due to its feature in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, the landmark, located approximately 250 miles north of London, was celebrated for its breathtaking backdrop along Hadrian’s Wall, a Roman fortification constructed nearly 2,000 years ago across northern England.

      Kevin Reynolds, the film’s director, condemned the act of vandalism as “ugly,” “despicable,” and “senseless,” characterizing the tree as “one of the most quintessentially idyllic spots in the world” and comparing its destruction to the loss of a treasured monument.

      On the second day of the trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Richard Wright highlighted how the tree had become “a well-known site, replicated countless times in photographs, feature films, and art,” according to the Guardian.

      Wright accused Graham and Carruthers of exhibiting “expertise and a determined, deliberate approach” to the felling, which was recorded by one of the defendants on a smartphone. “They first marked the cut location with silver spray paint, then cut a wedge that would determine the tree's direction of fall. One of the men then cut through the trunk, causing the sycamore to fall and strike the wall.” The jury viewed this footage.

      “During [their] return journey,” Wright added, “Mr. Carruthers received a video of his young child from his partner. He replied: ‘I’ve got a better video than that.’ Minutes later, the video of the tree being cut down was sent from Graham’s phone to Carruthers’ phone.” He stated: “At that moment, the only individuals aware of the tree being felled were the men who executed the act.”

      Both defendants claim they are innocent and the trial is ongoing.

      In a more positive development, the tree's stump has begun to produce new shoots, suggesting a possibility for regrowth; however, a complete restoration to its iconic shape is expected to take over a century.