Heartbreak as ancient English oak tree linked to Robin Hood dies after more than 1,000 years

The oak stands in the heart of Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, and is estimated to have been more than a millennium old.

But it has been declining for some time, according to the RSPB, which manages the woodland.

The oak is renowned worldwide for its association with the legendary outlaw Robin Hood, who according to folklore used it as a shelter.

The RSPB says it will remain standing as a monument for visitors and wildlife.

Conservationists attributed the decline to several factors, including a century of structural support measures that were well-meaning but ultimately harmful.

Millions of visitors over the years compacted the soil around the tree so severely that recent tests found it was as hard as concrete in places.

This made it difficult for rainwater to reach the roots and for the tree to absorb essential nutrients.

Experts believe the Major Oak is dead after it failed to produce any leaves

RSPB

Climate change is also said to have played a role, with heatwaves and droughts adding further stress to the Major Oak.

And even efforts to help save it have backfired. Branch supports in place since the early 20th century are among the interventions thought to have contributed to its deterioration.

These combined pressures all worsened the natural challenges the oak would face at its advanced age.

Hollie Drake, a senior site manager at RSPB Sherwood Forest, said the tree's failure to produce leaves this year was "heartbreaking for everyone".

She added: "We know the Major Oak will have a lasting legacy, first and foremost because it is so inextricably linked to Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest."

The majestic tree was used as a hideout by legendary outlaw Robin Hood

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Drake said the oak would continue providing vital habitat for wildlife.

Ed Pyne, a senior conservation adviser at the Woodland Trust, has called for stronger legal protections for ancient woods and trees.

He said: "Excessive tourism in Victorian times compacted the soil around the Major Oak's roots, causing damage that could never fully be reversed."

Pyne warned: "Its decline is a warning - the way we treat ancient trees today will shape whether they survive for future generations."

The Major Oak has stood proudly since the Norman conquest.

Branch supports in place since the early 20th century are thought to have contributed to its demise

RSPB

It has outlasted other Sherwood oaks that were felled to build the roof of St Paul's Cathedral, power the industrial revolution, and construct Lord Nelson's Royal Navy.

Its name came from a book by Major Hayman Rooke in 1790, which sparked the first major wave of tourism to the forest.

Chloe Ryder, the RSPB's estate operations manager at Sherwood Forest, said recent underground surveys revealed "a strangled and starved root system in total disconnect to its surrounding environment".

She described the tree's death as "devastating to accept" but said lessons learned would help protect other ancient trees.

Saplings grown from the oak's acorns have been planted around the world to ensure its legacy continues.