The horse looks out SSE over Pewsey Vale towards the new
Pewsey Horse, and can be seen for many miles. Good views are from Alton Barnes,
and from the road from Alton Barnes to Lockeridge. It has been well
maintained over the years.Milk Hill, where this white horse is located and nearby Tan
Hill are the joint highest points in Wiltshire at 294 metres. There was at one
time a white horse on Tan Hill, but this no longer survives.
Created for Robert Pile, of Manor Farm, Alton Barnes.
Possibly the same who created the first Pewsey Horse, or possibly his son.
Robert Pile paid twenty pounds to a John Thorne, (Jack the Painter), in 1812 to
design the white horse and get it made. Thorne designed the horse based on the
earlier one at Cherhill, then commissioned John Harvey of Stanton St Bernard to
do the rest. Before Harvey had finished Thorne took off with the money, and
Robert Pile ended up paying a second time. Thorne eventually was hanged, however
we haven't been able to work out what for.
The horse has changed over the years, the neck becoming
thinner, the eye becoming enlarged and the addition of ears and lips and the
improvements of the shape of the legs.
Since 2001 on a number of occasions the horse has been
lit by candlelight, using candles in glass jars. There are suggestions that this
is to become an annual event. Taking place on the night of the winter solstice,
21st December. This has been organised by the Wiltshire Crop Circle Study
Group, who currently maintain the white horse.
Alton Barnes and its surrounding villages, Alton Priors and
Honey Street are the centre of crop circle activity since 1990 as Alton Barnes
is home of the famous East Field – hallowed ground to all crop circle
enthusiasts. East Field is the birthplace of the pictogram and complex circle
designs over a decade ago. I have heard that thousands of people can visit this,
are looking at or for crop circles and the white horse is a favourite site
giving a good high view over fields and a place that many of the crop circle
pictures have been taken from. Also a renowned place to spot passing UFOs.
Adams grave, a long borrow is very near the white horse.
I have also read and seen a photo, but not seen in the nearby
village of Alton Priors, a sarsen stone by the roadside which has a
miniature replica of the Alton Barnes white horse carved on it.
click here to see the stone.
