Yobs have vandalised a 1,000-year-old oak tree in Sherwood Forest under which legend claims English outlaw Robin Hood met his Merry Men.
They are believed to have broken off a three-foot chunk of bark by climbing on the ancient Major Oak near Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire.
Locals branded the vandalism ‘sacrilege’ and ‘disgraceful’ while the RSPB charity which manages the tree said the damage is ‘heartbreaking’.
The Major Oak, which weighs around 23 tonnes and has a 92-ft canopy, is popularly believed to have been used by Robin Hood’s Merry Men as a hide-out.
Yobs have vandalised a 1,000-year-old oak tree in Sherwood Forest under which legend claims English outlaw Robin Hood met his Merry Men. They are believed to have broken off a three-foot chunk of bark by climbing on the ancient Major Oak near Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire
Locals branded the vandalism ‘sacrilege’ and ‘disgraceful’ while the RSPB charity which manages the tree said the damage is ‘heartbreaking’
The Major Oak, which weighs around 23 tonnes and has a 92-ft canopy, is popularly believed to have been used by Robin Hood’s Merry Men as a hide-out
Who was Robin Hood and what is the Major Oak in Sherwood?
Robin Hood is a legendary English outlaw who was a skilled archer and swordsman
Who was Robin Hood?
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic English outlaw who was a highly-skilled archer and swordsman.
In some versions of the legend he is depicted as being of noble birth, and in modern retellings he is depicted as having fought in the Crusades before returning to England to find his lands taken by the Sheriff of Nottingham.
He is said to have robbed from the rich and given to the poor.
A number of characters are now associated with Robin Hood through retellings and adaptations, including his lover Maid Marian, his band of outlaws the Merry Men, and his opponent the Sheriff of Nottingham, who is depicted as an accomplice to the usurper Prince John.
Robin Hood’s partisanship of the common people and his hostility to the Sheriff are early recorded features of the legend, but his interest in the rightfulness of the king is not, and neither is his setting in the reign of Richard I. He became a popular folk figure in the Late Middle Ages, and the earliest known ballads featuring him are from the 15th century.
Nottinghamshire’s ‘official’ Robin Hood Ade Andrews, who has portrayed the outlaw for 20 years, called the vandalism ‘disgraceful’
What is the Major Oak?
The Major Oak is one of many hundreds of old Sherwood oaks. It weighs an estimated 23 tonnes, its trunk circumference is 33ft and its branches spread to over 92ft.
During Victorian times, Sherwood Forest became a tourist attraction, with interest in the ancient ‘greenwood’ fuelled by romantic novels set in medieval times, such as Walter Scotts’ Ivanhoe.
The Major Oak’s earliest recorded name was the Cockpen Tree in the mid 1800s, as the sport of cock fighting once took place there. In 1790, Major Hayman Rooke, a noted archaeologist, included the tree in his popular book about the ancient oaks of Sherwood.
Since then, The Major Oak has become its new name. Due to its national importance, conservation measures to the tree have been carried out continually since 1908.
The tree’s popularity meant its roots began to suffer from compaction, caused by the footsteps of thousands of people coming to see.
It is just one site in the county directly linked to the legend, including Robin Hood’s well near Newstead Abbey and the Church of St Mary in Edwinstowe.
Nottinghamshire’s ‘official’ Robin Hood Ade Andrews, who has portrayed the outlaw for 20 years in county heritage tours, called the vandalism ‘disgraceful’.
He said: ‘These trees are very special, they are iconic symbols of Nottingham and of England. The Major Oak is a national treasure, for it to be damaged like this is cultural vandalism.
‘It’s sacrilege, it really is. Legend tells us that it was the meeting place of Robin Hood and his merry men, it is the world’s most famous tree, and for people to abuse it in such a way is disgraceful.’
Ade, who specialises in educational entertainment and character-led heritage tours, was told of the news yesterday.
He continued: ‘I was very saddened to hear the news of the damage.
‘I can only think that some very sad individuals have climbed over the fence and damaged the tree either on purpose or by climbing on it.
‘It is not only have damaged the the tree itself that is shocking, but it is home to more than 1,000 species of wildlife.’
He added: ‘I think it tells us where society is if that is something that people thought was ok to do.’
The Major Oak’s earliest recorded name was the Cockpen Tree in the mid 1800s, as the sport of cock fighting once took place there.
In 1790, Major Hayman Rooke, a noted archaeologist, included the tree in his popular book about the ancient oaks of Sherwood.
Since then, The Major Oak has become its new name.
Due to its national importance, conservation measures to the tree have been carried out continually since 1908.
An estimated 350,000 tourists visit Sherwood Forest each year to see the fabled oak tree.
Completely hollow inside, it has a hole in the trunk which visitors used to climb inside.
However, the practice was stopped and the area around the tree’s roots fenced in the 1970s as conservationists recognised the damage this was causing the ancient tree.
The famous forest is also a National Nature Reserve and has some of the highest natural protections in Europe.
Gemma Howarth, the RSPB’s site manager, said it was ‘heartbreaking’ to find the damage while she was doing a regular check of the site.
She said: ‘The Major Oak is a massively important part of our national heritage both in terms of our natural world and the Robin Hood legend which brings so many people to Sherwood from around the world.
‘This is an area heavily reliant on tourism for our local and regional economy – the vast majority of people who visit the area want to come and see the Major Oak.’
Ms Howarth said she believes the damage was caused by somebody trying to get inside the tree during lockdown when the forest was quiet.
But she added: ‘No-one should have been near it in the first place.
‘This fantastic tree isn’t something we can just regrow in our lifetimes, or even that of our grandchildren – it has survived a thousand years of history and as its custodians, we want it to be here for many more years to come.
‘It’s heart-breaking to see it being damaged, especially at a time when nature had been helping so many people by providing interest and enjoyment during lockdown.’
She added: ‘We’d always urge anyone who sees any behaviour like this to get in touch immediately.’