The Major Oak has left the building

[Rhoodshelter]

The Major Oak has died, after bearing witness to 1,200 years of history.

It’s now in heaven wiv da angles.

AIBU to be upset? Although it had a good innings.

Ah that’s so sad.
I hope it’s having a good time with the Sycamore Gap tree 🌳

Wow, that is sad.

Think it’s a bit of a reach for the BBC to claim tourists and climate change are the cause of death. It’s 1200 years old ffs, most likely, that’s just how long trees can live! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyer9m0jmko

Yep. Our European Oaks have a life expectancy of 1000 years, so this one was absolutely coming to end of its life naturally.

In fairness, I think the BBC were just reporting what they’d been told, rather than that being their own opinion.

Soil being compacted is a real issue, as is too much tree surgery.

I mourn the Major Oak.

I raise you the Fortingall Yew.
https://fortingall-graveyard.org.uk/

Is that definitely it? One year without leaves means it's dead?
Maybe old trees "rest their eyes" in old age.

I love the Major Oak, we used to go on picnics there when I was a child

This news actually made me really sad this morning. I live very locally and spent many happy hours of my childhood in Sherwood Forest, in the days when you could play in the Major Oak. When DS was born a d learning to walk and ride a bike this is where we went. It's been a huge part of my life. I'm still local now and often walk in the forest and it's clear it's been dying for years. It's still propped up at the moment and I really hope the props are taken down and it's left to fall and provide shelter for the creatures of the forest.

The saddest part is that this is really the last remaining part of the legend of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest. The RSPB took over the visitors centre a few years ago and while it's been modernised there's little trace of the storytelling of my childhood ☹️ I worry this will damage the local visitor economy too.

Oh, I don’t know. I think it looked rather ugly with all those props. Maybe time to let it go.

This is v sad! I remember going to see it as a child!
I loved the Robin Hood stories!
Anyone else also been to see Littke John’s grave in Hathersage?

I think it’s about time for a Robin Hood Revival! 🤔

My mum used to play inside it when she was little.

My grandad was a primary school teacher in Nottingham in the 50s and 60s and could fit a whole class in the trunk on school trips apparently....would love to see the risk assessment for that now!

That's an impressive innings.

Long may she rot and provide an excellent resource of standing dead wood for a whole host of unique specialist creatures. Death can be just the beginning 🌱🌳

Me too. In the days when you could get inside it. It smelt of wee.

Very sad. RIP Major Oak.

People dicking about with it hasn't helped - apparently the props holding it up weren't a good idea, and they poured concrete into it in the 60s 😯