With a crown of 28 meters wide, a trunk circumference of 11 meters and an estimated weight of 23 tonnes, the Major Oak is one of Britain’s largest and most iconic oaks. Now the centuries-old tree in the English Sherwood Forest, known from the folk hero Robin Hood, is dead.

The tree no longer produced new leaves this spring, reports(opens in new window) the British nature conservation organization RSPB. Experts estimate that the oak was about 1,200 years old.

Sherwood Forest managers say the tree collapsed due to a combination of soil compaction and successive hot, dry summers. In particular, the record heat of 2022, when 40 degrees Celsius was measured for the first time in the United Kingdom, is said to have further deteriorated the condition of the oak.

The Major Oak became one of the most famous landmarks of Sherwood Forest. According to the RSPB, the millions of visitors the tree has attracted over the years have also contributed to its decline. Due to the many visitors, the soil around the trunk became strongly compacted, giving roots less space to absorb water and nutrients.

The tree has been associated for centuries with the legend of Robin Hood, the English highwayman who, according to stories, stole from the rich to help the poor. Historians do point out that the Robin Hood stories do not specifically mention the Major Oak. However, it does mention striking trees that served as a meeting place.

Since the stories of Robin Hood emerged in English lore in the 12th and 13th centuries, the Major Oak was estimated to have been around 400 years old at that time. The tree must have germinated around the ninth century, making it a striking, mature oak at the time when Robin Hood was ravaging the rich.

Although the Major Oak is dead, it remains in place in Sherwood Forest. According to the managers, the tree can remain standing for dozens or possibly hundreds of years.

The dead tree also remains of value to plants and animals in the forest. Young trees have previously been grown from acorns and cuttings of the Major Oak, which have been planted in various places around the world.

Another tree associated with Robin Hood previously met a violent end. That approximately 150 year old maple tree, known from the film starring Kevin Costner, was deliberately cut in 2023. The two men responsible for this were given prison sentences of four years and three months last year.