White Horse Carvings

[saintjohnny]

I saw the white horse chalk carving in near Uffington, Oxfordshire today. It was a wonderful sight, but it got me thinking: why are these chalk carvings only found in the south of England? I go to the north of England a lot, and I don't know of any comparable carvings. Does anyone know the reason why?

[kempie]

Well... for a start there ain't much chalk up north.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_England_Chalk_Formation

[jno]

yes, you'd think northerners would have carved them into the coal, but they were too busy digging it up to put in their baths, I suppose. Also they'd be more likely to carve whippets and things.

[henneth]

The Red Horse of Tysoe, Warwickshire is probably the furthest north one would find a horse hill figure. First mentioned in the 17th century, like most White Horses in Southern England it isn't much older than that. White Horse hill carvings (with the exception of Uffingdon) were carved mainly between 1780 and 1820.

[waimarie]

Hi saintjohnny, Up t'north they wouldn't bother carving white horses even if there was any chalk. Much more likely to have done these self portraits.

www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/majorsites/cerne_abbas. !!

[waimarie]

Sorry about that, try :

http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/majorsites/cerne_abbas.html

fingers crossed. If it doesn't work, try the cerne abbas site !!

[waimarie]

Now I've got it !!!

http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/majorsites/cerne_abbass.html

Hooray !!!

[stoo_pid]

There is a chalk horse at Kilburn (near Thirsk) in North Yorkshire. Click here for some pics

[sixpence]

As you can see from this, our local White Horse is now covered in concrete. A sign of the times, I suppose.

http://wiltshirewhitehorses.org.uk/westbury.html

[Cetti]

If you carry on through the link that sixpence gave to 'other non-Wiltshire' you will see white horses in Tyne and Wear, Sheffield and Aberdeen.

http://wiltshirewhitehorses.org.uk/others.html

[shammydodger]

The only white horses we have oop north serve decent ale!