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Hackpen White Horse

Broad Hinton, Wiltshire

Featured Location Guide

also known as 

  • Broad Hinton White Horse
  • Winterbourne Bassett White Horse

The white horse faces WNW,  is near The Ridgeway on the edge of the Marlborough Downs, two miles south east of Broad Hinton village, on Hackpen Hill where the Wootton Bassett to Marlborough road zigzags up the hill.

It is said to have been cut by Broad Hinton parish clerk Henry Eatwell, in 1838, with the assistance of the landlord of a local pub, to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria.

It is visible from the main 'A' road to Avebury, from Swindon/Wroughton, and from high ground near the village of Cliffe Pypard to the west. As its not very large, it is best photographed from the road that approaches it, and there are a variety of points along this road where you can see it clearly. As its on quite a shallow slope, although jacked up a little on an embankment, it gets shortened as you approach it.

Its currently in good condition, but at times in the past it has become overgrown, and more difficult to see.

The car park on The Ridgeway, is about 1.5 miles from Barbury Castle (hill fort), and as it is approached, the Ridgeway goes down and up again allowing you to get excellent views of the castle, and countryside. You can also park far nearer to the castle on the other side, only a field or two away. About 2.5 miles in the opposite direction from The Ridgeway parking (towards Avebury) is an area on The Ridgeway that passes through a lot of stones/boulders known as grew weathers (as in the mist they are said to look like sheep), this is the rocks that were transported to make both Avebury and the larger jointed stones at Stonehenge.


Further information Grid

Location:

Hackpen White Horse, Broad Hinton, Wiltshire

Ceremonial County: Wiltshire

Grid Reference:

SU128749

Map Link:

Ordnance survey SU128749

Aerial photo:

Google

Route(s):

 

Best Times to Visit:

Any time, but best photos on clear day when light is onto the horse.

E-mail:

 

Website:

WWH

Other useful websites:

 

Nearby Locations: The Ridgeway,  Broad Town White Horse
Other Relevant pages:

Introduction to hillside figures

How to photograph hillside figures

Listing of hillside figures

 

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Planning Grid

Location:

Hackpen White Horse, Broad Hinton, Wiltshire

Grid Reference:

SU 128749

Getting there:

From Wroughton follow the A4361 to Avebury, just past the pub on your left at Broad Hinton take the left turn onto the road towards Marlborough. It's right in front of you on the hill.

Access:

From the parking place on The Ridgeway cross the road, its in the first field on the right, path to White Horse.

Parking:

Free car parking at The Ridgeway car park

Facilities:

None

Things To Do, See and Photograph:

White Horse, The Ridgeway,  views.

What to take:

 

Nature highlights:

Country location often larger hovering birds visible

Address:

 

Postcode:

 

Telephone:

 

Opening times:

All the time

Charges:

None

Photo Restrictions:

None

Other Restrictions: None
Special Needs Access: Difficult, but easily seen from road.
Special Needs Facilities: None
Children Facilities: Real horses often in field where white horse is, as people have fed them they have become over interested in visitors, perhaps not ideal to take small children.
Dogs Allowed: Real horses often in field where white horse is, as people have fed them they have become over interested in visitors, so perhaps don't take dogs into this field.

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: hackpen Topic: White Horses Last Updated: 01/2012

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