The knights of old went looking for Robin Hood, they knew where to find him. The legendary outlaw has been associated with England’s Sherwood Forest for centuries, and one tree in particular has traditionally been cited as his hideout: the Major Oak. Scientists now believe this 1,200-year-old oak tree has died after it failed to produce any new leaves this spring, British conservation body the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said in a news release. With a canopy spread of 28 meters (92 feet) and a trunk circumference of 11 meters (36 feet), the Major Oak was one of the biggest trees in Britain. Supports for some of the branches were put in place in the early 20th century, and the tree was fenced off in the 1970s. Support beams began to be placed under the tree’s branches in the early 20th century. Support beams began to be placed under the tree’s branches in the early 20th century. RSPB A combination of soil compression around the tree and hot, dry summers led to the tree’s decline, the RSPB said. Simon Parfey, the managing director of soil microbiology firm SoilBioLab, who was part of the team caring for the tree, said in the news release: “While the Major Oak team worked tirelessly to revive the environment around this iconic tree — and saw encouraging signs of life in some areas — the damage, it now seems, was already too deeply entrenched to fully reverse.”The Major Oak became famous as a tourist attraction thanks to its connection to Robin Hood. However, the resulting millions of visitors led to the soil around the tree becoming as solid as concrete, the RSPB said in the release. The Major Oak has been popular with visitors for centuries.

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