On the Shoulders of Giants: Roaming Among England's Famous Chalk Figures
Ancient hill carvings of horses, crosses, and crowns have captivated artists, writers, and travellers for centuries. I embarked on a quest to uncover their stories, wandering through the rolling landscapes of England where these mysterious figures etch the hillsides.
The Long Man of Wilmington: A Protective Spirit
In the churchyard adjacent to Wilmington Priory in East Sussex, I encountered an ancient yew tree, its trunk consuming half a gravestone, a sight both eerie and fascinating. My focus, however, was on the Long Man of Wilmington, a figure carved into the steep scarp of the South Downs. Clutching a stave in each hand, this giant once gleamed in chalk but now stands outlined with concrete blocks.
Origins of the Long Man are debated; he may date back to Anglo-Saxon times, resembling a buckle design linked to the god Odin, or he could be a later addition for aesthetic viewing from the priory. This enigmatic form inspired the photographer Lee Miller and artist Roland Penrose, who saw him as a protective spirit and painted a surrealist version on their fireplace. His influence extends to the Black composer Avril Coleridge-Taylor, the folk collective the Memory Band, and even Benjamin Britten, who picnicked at his feet.
A Tapestry of Chalk Figures Across England
The Long Man is among roughly 40 chalk figures that adorn England's hills, a unique feature of the country's heritage. These carvings have always been part of my life, blending familiarity with fantasy, and drawing attention from historians, archaeologists, and creatives alike. They enliven walks and spark endless conjecture.
Many figures, including famous horses, crosses, crowns, and giants, lie near ancient trackways used by pilgrims, traders, and warriors. By tracing these routes for my book, The Tattooed Hills, I delved into the secrets of these shapes.
From Litlington to Cerne Abbas: Giants and Horses
A planned walk from the Long Man to the Litlington White Horse was interrupted by a thunderstorm, but I returned the next day to see this small, lonely horse peeking over the hill towards the English Channel. Cut secretly in a single night in 1924, it replaced an earlier lost figure.
In Dorset, I climbed to the faded figure of George III on his horse, Adonis, carved in 1808 as a tribute to the king and an advertisement for Weymouth. Farther north, along the Wessex Ridgeway, the priapic Cerne Abbas Giant loomed, his club held high. Debate surrounds his origin—possibly Romano-British, a 17th-century depiction of Oliver Cromwell, or a Saxon image of Hercules. This giant is a shapeshifter, a joker in the landscape.
Wiltshire's White Horses and Musical Inspirations
Wiltshire's chalk hills are home to eight remaining white horses. A midsummer walk from the Alton Barnes White Horse led me along the Wansdyke, with views of Silbury Hill, to the Cherhill White Horse, carved near a hillfort and marked by the Lansdowne Monument.
Both horses have musical ties: the Alton Barnes horse featured in a Dodgy music video, evoking nostalgic countryside raves, while the KLF filmed at Cherhill for their video Doctorin' the Tardis, blending art-terrorist antics with Wiltshire's weirdness.
The Uffington White Horse: An Ancient Survivor
Further along the Ridgeway, the elongated Uffington White Horse commands attention beneath a hillfort. Dated to the late Bronze Age, about 3,000 years ago, this figure has been maintained through generations. It inspired Kate Bush's Cloudbusting video and XTC's album English Settlement. Andy Partridge of XTC noted how the landscape marked him deeply, shaping his creativity.
Strange Figures in the Chilterns and Beyond
The Ridgeway merges with the Icknield Way, leading to the Chiltern Hills and its cluster of odd chalk figures, including the Whiteleaf Cross and the Watlington White Mark—an 18th-century trompe l'oeil that gives a church a spire from a specific viewpoint. Eastward, Ivinghoe Beacon offers views of Chequers and the Whipsnade White Lion, cut in the 1930s for a zoo opening and now tended by wallabies.
At the Icknield Way's end, Wandlebury in the Gog Magog Hills recalls giants from folklore. Archaeologist TC Lethbridge speculated about hidden figures here, though none remain. His words resonate: excitement and quests are found not at the ends of the earth, but in prosaic old England, right at our back door.
The Tattooed Hills: Journeys to Chalk Figures by Jon Woolcott is published by Aurum, offering a deeper exploration of these enigmatic landmarks.
