Unraveling the mystery of England’s white horses: experts reveal the history of the ancient figures on the hills – and warn they could soon DISAPPEAR from Britain altogether

Scattered across the English countryside, you’ll find a curious feature that often surprises tourists: huge horses drawn into chalk hills, stretching hundreds of feet.

These mysterious historical monuments, officially known as ‘geolyphs’, provide a breathtaking sight for miles.

The oldest of them all – the white horse of Uffington in Oxfordshire, just east of Swindon – is believed to be a whopping 3,000 years old.

Experts recently revealed that the Uffington horse is shrinking, raising fears it could be lost without urgent conservation work.

MailOnline takes a closer look at these oft-overlooked national treasures and why they were originally carved into the landscape.

Experts recently revealed that the Uffington horse is getting smaller, raising fears it could be lost without urgent conservation work. Close-up of Uffington’s white horse in 2022

Today, no white horse in England is as old or as well-preserved as Uffington’s, dating back 3,000 years and measuring 110 meters in length.

The stark monument dates back to the later Bronze Age or Iron Age, between 1740 BC and 210 BC.

It’s part of a place steeped in history, from an ancient hillfort just southwest of the horse, to Neolithic burial mounds and an undulating geological feature known as ‘The Manger’.

Adrian Cox, a regional archaeologist at the National Trust, said the horse could have originally been drawn as a “territorial marker or sign of ownership of the land.”

“We know it was the Late Bronze Age and this was a time when there was already a lot of activity at that particular site,” he told MailOnline.

“This was an important hill before the horse was drawn over it, so it was a special place and a place where Late Bronze Age people felt they needed to mark in some way.

“It’s visible for miles, so it’s a good territorial marker.”

The Oxfordshire location is steeped in history, including an ancient hillfort just southwest of the horse (photo shows what’s left of the hillfort)

The Bronze Age refers to a period when bronze replaced stone as the preferred material for making tools and weapons. Pictured is a Bronze Age funeral feast

It may have had a “ritual function,” Cox said, perhaps as a symbol to show that people were buried there and to indicate “the peculiarity of the place.”

It could also have served as a warning, telling rival communities to stay away, or even as an early form of artistic expression.

According to Cox, these are “all just theories,” and the true purpose of the Uffington horse will probably forever remain a mystery.

As to why Bronze Age people specifically chose a horse, he said the animal was revered thousands of years ago and may have been a symbol of power.

“While we are very familiar with horses today, they were a fairly recent introduction to the British Isles in the Bronze Age,” he said.

“People who had horses had a certain amount of power. Horses were very important in communication, getting to a place quickly and in warfare.

“So if you had a lot of horses, you would have had a lot of power over the land.”

Today, the Uffington White Horse is not only a must-see for history buffs, but also a pilgrimage for music fans.

It was the cover of XTC’s 1982 album ‘English Settlement’, and three years later appeared in the video for Kate Bush’s single ‘Cloudbusting’.

But it could disappear “within 10 to 20 years” due to the overgrowth of grass and moss, had it not been for conservation efforts, said Cox, which is overseen by the National Trust, along with Historic England and English Heritage. .

Each year, volunteers and staff clean the geolyph to remove moss and dirt, then refill it with fresh chalk to keep it sparkling white.

The Uffington horse is particularly vulnerable to disappearing under the undergrowth because it is so slender.

Pictured: A geological feature in Uffington called The Manger, formed at the end of the last ice age, which lies at the foot of the escarpment, below the White Horse

Pictured is Adrian Cox, regional archaeologist at the National Trust, during archaeological work at Uffington White Horse

The National Trust recently caused consternation among fans by saying that the Uffington White Horse has shrunk over decades.

Ironically, part of the reason for this is probably because the National Trust has been so careful not to make it bigger when replenishing the chalk, Cox said.

There have been at least twenty chalk hill horse figures in England, most of which are in Wiltshire – although many more probably existed before they were lost to a lack of conservation efforts.

Most that can still be found are not ancient and have been made since the 19th century, probably in homage to the original one in Uffington.

Some were created to commemorate the reign of George III (1760-1820), who was interested in horses, Cox said, including the Osmington White Horse in Dorset, which actually depicts the king riding it.

The second oldest surviving horse is the Westbury White Horse on the Salisbury Plain in Wilshire, site of the famous Stonehenge, also known for its mysterious and much-discussed origins.

The second oldest surviving is the Westbury White Horse (pictured) on Wilshire’s Salisbury Plain, site of the world-famous Stonehenge

According to English Heritage, local records suggest that the Woolbury White Horse was originally felled in the late 17th century, probably to commemorate a battle believed to have taken place at Bratton Camp in 878.

Another 50m white horse at Alton Barnes in Wilshire was felled in 1812 at the behest of local farmer Robert Pile.

In 2019, Alton Barnes’ horse was trampled and rendered ‘defaced’ by Extinction Rebellion just weeks after being recovered by local schoolchildren.

Fury as Extinction Rebellion ‘damages’ a famous White Horse monument with their hourglass logo just weeks after school kids helped restore it

In October 2019, neighbors of a famous White Horse Extinction Rebellion accused of ‘damaging’ the monument by covering it with their logo, just weeks after schoolchildren helped restore it.

The activists used dark fabric to create their hourglass symbol on top of the Alton Barnes White Horse in Wiltshire, which was carved in 1812.

It angered locals who re-scaled the precious site in August using 46 tonnes of pristine rock dumped by an RAF Chinook helicopter.

Activists used dark fabric to create their hourglass symbol on top of the Alton Barnes White Horse in Wiltshire, which was carved in 1812

Rob Sutherland, whose 11-year-old daughter Molly was part of the restoration team, said: ‘The children are all aware of the issues surrounding the climate and they want to improve it.

“But they cannot understand why the white horse was chosen for this. Hundreds of people helped rewrite it in August.

“This is not a good way for Extinction Rebellion to publicize their cause.”

Another local, Graham Newland, labeled the activists “cheap anarchists” and said, “This is a wanton act of vandalism.”