Our nearest White Horse, taken from about 7 miles out of town. You can see it from the other side of town too, on high ground in good weather.
In 1873 it was considered not good enough so was re-modelled 'by a committee' headed by a retired army officer. I went from the top shape (as was recorded in 1772) to the lower one as it is now. I cannot imagine that they reversed the stance of the creature, but I wouldn't put it past them. I don't think it ever began life as a horse. The Victorians destroyed a lot of ancient artwork in their arrogance.
Since ancient times, the locals would hold a fair on the hills which had white horses. This was to make the cleaning of the grass over the chalk an enjoyable event to take part in as a volunteer. These fairs were called 'scourings'.
In the 1950s, people were not so keen on simple village fairs, so the local council concreted over this white horse to keep the maintenance simple.
Hedging and ditching went out of fashion too, so ditches are now blocked and hedges are either grubbed-up or brutally slashed by one man in a tractor with a blunt cutter.
Wow!! So different. The original barely even looks like a horse, it's more of a dachshund to me, so I wonder what made them decide, hey let's go with a horse!
ReplyDeleteThere are many primitive horses but there were also dragon type creatures.
DeleteIt's a pity that none was created for the advent of the 21st C.
ReplyDeleteI think there were.
DeleteOh.
DeleteOn the north side of the A4 between Corsham and Chippenham a long section of hedge has recently been laid in the traditional manner. It looks splendid.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is returning. Near my workshop a local man has laid a perfect hedge. It is an absolute artwork. I think it might be the same man. He is a Box resident I think.
DeleteWe have a very small Nature Reserve on the side of the road through Wensleydale, important because of half a dozen quite rare plants and grasses. The hedge which separates it from the road has been beautifully laid this year - the only example I have seen for a long time. Like stone walling it is disappearing - I suppose one reason is the length of time it takes and through that the cost. But it is such a shame.
ReplyDeleteThat horse in its earlier form is far superior in my view.
Good dry stone wallers and hedgers are making a come back I think, Weave. It is very encouraging.
DeleteHedging and ditching are still religiously carried out by the farmers here. The Environment Agency decided that dredging had gone out of fashion and stopped and caused no end of problems over your way on the Somerset Levels a year or two ago.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. They stopped the farmers on the Somerset Levels from doing it by law, but I know a few good ones who ignored the Environment Agency and did it anyway. Who is going to prosecute them for doing the right thing? Arseholes.
DeleteIt is their fucking land the ditches run through for a start! Some young tossers do a course in land management then they think they can tell people whose families have been on the land for generations the best way of going about it.
DeleteI have experience of them.
DeleteAnd eels.
DeleteDitchers I know. Here in the township, which is the lowest form of government we have (closes to the people), the road superintendents must have ditches cleared and in order no later than June 20th of every year, and then again in July, August and September.
ReplyDeleteBut hedgers I cannot locate. The definition is investors who insure against a future, adverse event.
Can I back that up to be a person who plants a perfect row of hedge plants, that will protect the ditch from being eroded or overrun and washed out?
Now you've got me thinking. Hedgerows used to be so common in this country that I have never properly thought about it. I suppose they were generally to keep animals in and the ditches were for drainage. America has traditionally farmed in such huge areas that hedges would be pointless. I think I am right in saying that barbed wire is an American invention. There is the remains of a prehistoric thorn hedge in Africa which was hundreds of miles long and made to keep two tribes apart.
DeleteHedges were primarily there to delineate boundaries in the UK.
DeleteAgricultural boundaries?
DeleteYes, I was speaking from a farming perspective.
Delete