2 men charged with cutting down the beloved Sycamore Gap tree go on trial in northern England

LONDON (AP) — There is a hole in the heart of the rolling hills of northern England.

A majestic sycamore tree that once sat symmetrically between two hills along Hadrian’s Wall was mysteriously felled more than a year and a half ago, causing disbelief and distress for those who considered it an almost sacred site.

“We’re still devastated by it,” said Catherine Cape, who runs a guest cabin nearby. “I can’t drive past it. … I just don’t like looking at the space there.”

Cape...