Not many people have heard of John Clayton but most of us have enjoyed his farsighted benevolence even if from a distance. There is a saying that a person is truly generous when they plant a tree that they will never live to see mature. If that is the case then there are few better people than John Clayton.
For it was likely the famous Sycamore tree in Sycamore Gap was tree was planted by John Clayton who lived 1792-1890. This amazing tree and the pleasure it has given countless millions is almost just the icing on the cake of John Clayton accomplishments.
He was the town clerk of Newcastle upon Tyne, a lawyer and antiquarian. His contribution to excavating and protecting Hadrian’s Wall is immense and it is no understatement to suggest that without him, this World Heritage Roman site would not be with us today.
When John Clayton was four, his father bought the mansion house of Chesters which had the Roman fort of Cilurnum in its front garden. It was the start of a life-long interest in this massive Roman structure that crosses the mainland of Great Britain at its most narrow point.
In 1815, at the age of 23, John joined his family’s law firm, which became the largest in the North East of England. John also took over from his father as the Town Clerk of Newcastle in 1822. This position granted him huge power in the Corporation of Newcastle (the previous name of the council) and he held his position for 45 years.
Luckily for future generations of archaeologists and visitors to Hadrian’s Wall, John Clayton used a portion of his wealth to purchase land which contained Hadrian’s Wall and its forts, milecastles and turrets. Indeed one of his obituaries states; “Whenever an estate came into the market having on it some portion of the Wall, he strove to become its possessor.”
By the time John Clayton died in 1890 he owned five forts – Chesters, Carrawburgh, Housesteads, Vindolanda and Carvoran – as well as most of the Wall within this 20 mile stretch.
Whilst obviously a far-sighted man, he was also an incredibly successful person in a wealth family. He didn’t sit on his laurels (I put that in here as it’s Roman related!) and he worked tirelessly to increase his fortunes and land-holdings.
His archaeological work continued into his later years, and he was in his early nineties when he uncovered the spectacular sculptures of the temple to Mars Thincsus at Housesteads and he was instrumental in opening sites and museums to the public.
When John Clayton died, his nephew Nathaniel George Clayton inherited around 20,000 acres of land and £713,522 0s.2d. In todays money it would be around £50 million!
Despite having a street named after him in Newcastle and saving one of the wonders of the ancient world for many to marvel at from a distance or like myself, trudge along raising money for charity or just for fun, John Clayton is largely forgotten today.
But if we take Hadrians Wall rather for granted as so many people do in places rich with history, then it’s hard not for anyone who has seen the old tree in Sycamore Gap to marvel at its sheer perfection amongst this rugged and epic landscape and be thankful for the man who centuries ago planted it here.
There are so many great photos of it and I don’t count mine in anyway amongst them but a little googling will show up some amazing photos in the snow or my favourites the nighttime snaps with the Northern Lights eerily lighting up the cold skies.
I couldn’t write this post without including this rather amusing quote which may serve as an obituary to John Clayton.
Has all the craft and subtlety of the devil. Great talents, indefatigable industry, immense wealth, and wonderful tact and facility in conducting business, give him an influence in society rarely possessed by an individual. Was unanimously re-elected Town Clerk because the Clique had not a man equal to supply his place. Can do things with impunity that would damn an ordinary man. A good voice, speaks well, and never wastes a word. Has a careworn, but sly countenance and spare person — limps in his gait from an accident — and loves the ladies.
He sounds like he was quite the fellow!
If one tree can change the world, how many when millions are planted? https://stephenliddell.co.uk/2013/07/20/the-man-who-planted-trees-and-the-green-wall-of-africa/
Stephen Liddell 
Growing up Geordie, the name Clayton is not unfamiliar to me. So sad about the tree, it was really an icon of ‘home’ for me. I’ll be very intrigued to follow as the story plays out of how and why it was felled.
On a side note, do you still follow the home team? Quite the performance at St James Park last night. Two things that can make me homesick- a good night at the match and watching the Great North Run!
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I definitely follow the Toon! Yes that was quite the evening wasn’t it. Up there with Tino and Barcelona and Howay 5-0 against ManUre. I like watching the detective shows such as Vera or before that Inspector Gently for the same reason as you watch the Great North Run. In 2 or 3 weeks I have booked an Evening with Kevin Keegan which I really can’t wait for. BTW if you have ever had Sky Sports about 2 weeks ago while on tour I met Jeff Stelling. He was the nicest and friendliest person I have ever met. I’m not sure the lady from Boston who I was with quite understood what was going on but she took a great photo of Jeff and I.
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