Wiltshire White Horses

Ordnance Survey grid reference: SU 128 749

The Hackpen white horse 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.

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

This white horse is on a comparatively shallow slope, but is partly banked up to make it more easily visible. It can be seen from a distance from the high ground near the village of Cliffe Pypard to the west. From nearby it can be seen well from the Wootton Bassett to Marlborough road. There is a car park on Hackpen Hill where that road crosses The Ridgeway, and the horse can be easily reached from it. On September 23rd 2004 the entire horse was weeded and cleaned single-handedly by Bevan Pope.

Visitors to the horse should note that there are often three real horses in the field where the chalk horse is situated, and they are liable to become extremely interested in visitors, especially if they think there might be food with them, and will crowd around very attentively. I wouldn't recommend taking dogs or young children into the field.