One of Trinity’s famous Front Square trees is no more, after high winds caused it to crash down in the early hours of this morning.

College announced the news on Twitter. “Generations will miss this magnificent tree”, the tweet said. The iconic Oregon maple tree feel before 3am this morning.

The tree stems from the Americas, and arrived to Trinity as a young tree back in the 1840s.

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Trinity’s trees are maintained and protected by the Estates and Facilities team.

The loss of the tree will leave a striking gap in the famous vista of Front Square, which is well known to both students, staff and tourists.

The precise reason for the tree’s collapse is not yet known, but this morning College staff had already sealed off the area and made a start on removing branches and debris.

The tree was one of many on campus that College was trying to keep alive, using cables to help it survive the increased wind speed created by Trinity’s buildings. This process, called cable bracing, involves a surgical procedure where holes are drilled through the trees, with a window of less than a minute to get it right.

Trinity’s trees have had a tough few years. Last year, a tree at Lincoln Place gate fell victim to disease and had to be removed. The famous cherry trees that line the cricket pitch are being phased out over a period of a few years and will be replaced by lime trees.