Legendary Major Oak, Linked to Robin Hood, Passes Away
WHO:
ABC News - The Major Oak, an ancient oak tree linked to the legend of Robin Hood, is associated with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
The Guardian - Robert Brackley, an outdoor educator, and Chloe Ryder, RSPB Sherwood Forest estates operations manager, are mentioned in relation to the tree's legacy and management.
WHAT:
ABC News - The Major Oak is said to have sheltered Robin Hood, the legendary 13th-century bandit.
ABC News - The tree was named after Major Hayman Rooke, who described it in a book on oaks published in 1790.
The Guardian - Robin Hood arrived in an electric van for an informal funeral beside the tree after its passing was announced.
The Guardian - Visitors from Spain, Sheffield, the US, South Korea, and Australia paused beside the tree to pay their respects.
The Guardian - The Major Oak is described as one of the largest trees in Europe, with a girth of 11 meters and a canopy of 28 meters.
ABC News - Hollie Drake of the RSPB stated, “The tree’s failure to produce leaves this year is heart-breaking for everyone.”
The Guardian - Robert Brackley described the Major Oak as “the most famous tree in the world” and emphasized its legacy, saying, “The stories it has given us is the legacy.”
The Guardian - Visitors from various countries, including Spain, the US, South Korea, and Australia, came to pay their respects to the tree.
The Guardian - Reg Harris, an arborist, noted that the decline of the Major Oak was influenced by “200 years of tourist footfall and vehicular compaction, changes to the water table from coal mining beneath it and significant changes to the climate.”
ABC News - The Major Oak, estimated to be 1,200 years old, is believed to have died after failing to sprout leaves in the spring.
The Guardian - The Major Oak is described as one of Europe’s oldest and largest ancient trees, with an 11-metre girth and a 28-metre canopy.
The Guardian - Thousands of visitors admire the Major Oak each year, with 350,000 visitors reported annually.
The Guardian - The tree's death was confirmed by the RSPB, leading to an informal funeral attended by visitors.
WHERE:
ABC News - The Major Oak is located in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, England.
The Guardian - The tree is situated in a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) managed by the RSPB.
WHEN:
The Guardian - The RSPB took over management of the site in 2018.
The Guardian - The heatwave of July 2022 is noted as a significant stressor for the tree.
WHY:
The Guardian - Experts believe that the props supporting the tree's limbs placed it under strain, impacting its ability to sustain itself.
ABC News - The tree's decline is attributed to soil compaction from visitors, climate change, and interventions to support its limbs.
The Guardian - The tree was stressed by a series of hot, dry summers, particularly due to global heating.
The Guardian - Experts indicated that the lack of summer rainfall over the last five years and unprecedented high temperatures contributed to the tree's decline.
HOW:
The Guardian - Underground tests revealed a "strangled and starved root system in total disconnect to its surrounding environment," according to Chloe Ryder, RSPB Sherwood Forest estates operations manager.
The Guardian - The RSPB undertook gentle excavation around the tree’s roots over the past three winters to aerate, feed, and restore their health and vitality.
ABC News - The RSPB reported that the tree's root system was strangled and starved, affecting its health.
The Guardian - Historical interventions included installing props and metal chains in 1904, filling hollow parts with concrete, and cladding limbs with various materials.
The Guardian - The RSPB undertook studies and emergency actions to address the tree’s failing health, including excavating around the roots to aerate and feed them.
(UPDATED June 18, 2026 12:10 UTC)
The Major Oak, a legendary tree believed to have sheltered Robin Hood, has passed away, prompting an informal funeral beside it where attendees included visitors from Spain, Sheffield, the US, South Korea, and Australia. This iconic tree, named after Major Hayman Rooke, was one of the largest in Europe, boasting a girth of 11 meters and a canopy of 28 meters, but experts have determined that it suffered from a strained root system due to props supporting its limbs. Chloe Ryder, the RSPB Sherwood Forest estates operations manager, noted that underground tests revealed the tree's roots were "strangled and starved" and disconnected from its surrounding environment.
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(UPDATED June 18, 2026 10:22 UTC)
The Major Oak, often hailed as "the most famous tree in the world," is facing a heartbreaking decline, as it has failed to produce leaves this year, according to Hollie Drake of the RSPB. Visitors from countries like Spain, the US, South Korea, and Australia have come to pay their respects, while arborist Reg Harris points to factors such as two centuries of tourist foot traffic, coal mining impacts, and climate change as contributors to its deterioration. In an effort to revive the tree, the RSPB has been gently excavating around its roots for the past three winters to help aerate, feed, and restore their health.
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(UPDATED June 18, 2026 06:40 UTC)
The Major Oak, an ancient tree linked to the legend of Robin Hood and located in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, has been confirmed dead after failing to sprout leaves this spring, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Estimated to be around 1,200 years old, this iconic tree, which has an impressive 11-meter girth and a 28-meter canopy, attracted around 350,000 visitors annually before its decline, attributed to factors like soil compaction, climate change, and a series of hot, dry summers. In response to its deteriorating health, the RSPB has conducted studies and emergency actions, including excavating around the roots to aerate and feed them, but ultimately, the tree's legacy was honored with an informal funeral attended by many admirers.