The Cherhill White Horse & Landsdowne Monument

Much more detail here



The Cherhill White Horse was cut in 1780 under the direction of Dr Christopher Allsup, a medical practitioner of Calne. According to local legend the Doctor directed operations from the Calne road (now the A4), with the aid of a large speaking trumpet (from where I took this photo).

As physician to the Landsdowne family Allsup may have become familiar with the work of the artist George Stubbs, a friend of the family and the elongated form of the horse is held to resemble those painted by Stubbs. The horse is 131ft (40m) long by 142ft (43m) high.

Restoration in 2002 took 1000 man hours and required 150 tons of graded chalk and 900 metres of timber revetment held in place by 1500 wooden pegs - this will last about 20 years before needing further maintenance!

The Landsdowne Monument was erected by the family to their ancestor Sir William Petty who founded their dynasty and fortunes. It is 125 ft (38m) high and was designed by Sir John Barry, co-architect, with Pugin, of the Houses of Parliament. Multi-talented Sir William was born in 1623, son of a cloth worker. He qualified as a doctor, was appointed Professor of Anatomy at Oxford, became Physician General to Cromwell's army in Ireland and conducted the first land survey of that country. Under King Charles II he wrote the first statistics-based economics work 'A Treatise on Taxes and Contributions,' became Commissioner of the Navy and was a founder member of the Royal Society, the originators of formal scientific study in England. In his spare time he designed and had built a number of catamarans which until then were unknown in the Western World! A descendant, the first Marquis of Landsdowne, became Prime Minister under King George III