| 91: The Uffington White Horse |
|
|
|
Of all the White Horses that occupy
the "Vale of the White Horse", the extraordinary Uffington White
Horse is probably the most famous. It is believed to be the most ancient
hill figure in Britain at about 3,000 years old; the late Bronze Age. The
Horse measures some 374 feet in length. It is sited about 1½ miles
south of Uffington, on the Berkshire Downs, very close to the Saxon hill-fort
of Uffington Castle.
Folklore has associated the White Horse with King Alfred who defeated the Danes in 861, Hengist in the 7th century, St George and even Epona a Celtic Horse Goddess. Its actual meaning is shrouded, probably forever, in mystery. The Uffington White Horse has also been replicated on a mountain near
Juárez in Mexico. That truly enormous copy is more than half a
mile in length. |
|
|
|
