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Woolbury White Horse

Woolbury Camp, Stockbridge, Hampshire

Location Guide

This small horse, 27ft long, is constructed of whitewashed flints embedded in the soil. There once was a cross nearby, a few yards from the main Winchester road constructed by the same method. However this was lost in 1944.

This horse is on the southern ramparts of the Woolbury Ring , about 1 mile east of Stockbridge, just outside of the National Trust property. This figure is not very prominent in the countryside, visible only from the camp itself. The horse is well preserved in shape only a few flints being misplaced, mainly from one of the hind legs and the tail.

It is constructed of rough flints painted white. These are pushed lightly into the ground to form the shape of a horse The horse was restored and whitewashed in 1929 and subsequently the two legs were altered to form four.

Its origin is unknown, but the earliest reference to it dates from 1859, although one report says it was made before 1846.

The stories we have seen are:-

  • The cross marks the spot where a farmer called Wigmore was killed, and his horse carried on to the site of the Woolbury Horse where it died and the White Horse was constructed to commemorate this.

  • That it was made to commemorate the highwayman who prowled the area.

  • A small white horse on the outer face of the south rampart, 27ft long and constructed of flints from the upper chalk. Local legend states that it commemorates a highwayman's horse. Hants web

The only photos I can find are  at www.hows.org.uk/personal/hillfigs/wool/wool.htm and they don't inspire me to go and get some myself.


Further information Grid

 

Location:

Woolbury White Horse, Woolbury Camp, Stockbridge, Hampshire

Ceremonial County: Hampshire

Grid Reference:

SU381351

Map Link:

Ordnance survey SU381351

Aerial photo:  

Route(s):

 

Best Times to Visit:

 

E-mail:

 

Website:

 

Other useful websites:

www.hows.org.uk/personal/hillfigs/wool/wool.htm

Nearby Locations:

Woolbury Ring Iron Age Hill Fort and Earthworks

Stockbridge Down (NT property)

Other Relevant pages:

Introduction to hillside figures

How to photograph hillside figures

Listing of hillside figures

 

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Planning Grid

Location:

Woolbury White Horse, Stockbridge, Hampshire

Grid Reference:

SU 381351

Getting there:

Off the B3049 2 miles east out of Stockbridge towards Winchester

Access:

 

Parking:

2 Car Parks and opposite ends of Stockbridge Down.

Facilities:

 

Things To Do, See and Photograph:

 

What to take:

 

Nature highlights:

Butterflies on nearby downs including Brimstone and Chalkhill Blue

Address:

 

Postcode:

 

Telephone:

 

Opening times:

Open all year

Charges:

None

Photo Restrictions:

None

Other Restrictions: None
Special Needs Access: Probably not suitable as it's on a hill
Special Needs Facilities: None
Children Facilities: None
Dogs Allowed:  

Please let us know any other information that we can add to the Further information and Planning Grids or page and any errors that you discover. Before making a long trip to any location it is always wise to double check the current information, websites like magazines may be correct at the time the information is written, but things change and it is of course impossible to double check all entries on a regular basis. If you have any good photographs that you feel would improve the illustration of this page then please let us have copies. In referring to this page it is helpful if you quote both the Page Ref and Topic or Section references from the Grid below. To print the planning grid select it then right click and print the selected area.

Please submit information on locations you discover so that this system continues to grow.

 


By: Keith Park Section: White Horse & Hillside Features Key:
Page Ref: woolbury Topic: Hillside Last Updated: 01/2012

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