Who is Walter Renwick? Man arrested after Sycamore Gap Tree is chopped down
BRITS were left devastated when one of the most famous trees in the world was brutally chopped down.
The world-famous Sycamore Gap tree was felled in September 2023 – with Walter Renwick arrested over the felling.
But who is he and why is the iconic tree so famous? Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is Walter Renwick?
Walter Renwick, 69, is a former lumberjack who lives eight miles from where the UK’s most famous tree had proudly stood.
On Friday, September 29, 2023, Walter Renwick was arrested after the iconic tree was chopped down.
Police descended on Renwick’s farm in Northumberland, close to the scene of the crime.
They conducted a two-day search of the isolated plot, where they found a chainsaw in an outbuilding.
It was added to dozens more evidence bags taken from the former campsite.
But the 69-year-old, who has been released on bail, insists he’s “f***ing innocent” as the hunt for the suspect enters day five.
He told The Sun: “I’m a former lumberjack and I’ve just been kicked off my property so I can see why people have pointed the finger.
“I didn’t do it”.
And he later added: “Trees have their own DNA and you can use the dust to track down which tree was felled, so it’ll be easy to find who did it.
“It was the perfect night to do it.
“There was a full moon so it would have been well lit and the wind would have meant there was barely any sound.”
Renwick is understood to have been evicted by the property’s owners on Thursday and is now living in a nearby camper van.
A 16-year-old suspect has also been bailed.
What happened to the Sycamore Gap Tree?
In September 2023, the felling of the 300-year-old landmark at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland left the nation reeling.
At the time of the discovery, a Northumberland National Park Authority spokesperson said: “We can confirm that sadly, the famous tree at Sycamore Gap has come down over night.
“We have reason to believe it has been deliberately felled.
“It is not clear currently whether the tree is a victim of Storm Agnes or it is a deliberate act – though pictures indicate a clean and straight cut.
”The location was once a popular photographic subject, and it was described as one of the most photographed trees in the country.
“We are working with the relevant agencies and partners with an interest in this iconic North East landmark and will issue more details once they are known.
“Sycamore Gap was voted English Tree of the Year in 2016 in the Woodland Trust’s awards and is much-loved by people from across the world.
“Northumberland National Park Authority would like to ask the public not to visit the site at this time whilst we work with our partners to identify what has happened and to make the site safe.”
A National Trust spokesperson has since said: “We are focused on making the site safe, and helping staff and the community come to terms with the news.
“We will be working with Northumberland National Park, other partners and the local community to consider plans for the site and the tree in the future.”
Why was the Sycamore Gap Tree famous?
The 70ft-tall sycamore, which stood in a dramatic dip at Sycamore Gap near Crag Lough in Northumberland, had gained fame over the years thanks to an appearance in a Hollywood blockbuster.
The tree notably featured in the 1991 movie Robin Hood Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman.
The iconic landmark was also one of the most photographed in the UK and was voted English Tree of the Year in 2016.