📷 Photo by Immanuel Giel · Public Domain · Wikimedia Commons
When you're exploring the wider Wiltshire countryside, especially if you're heading east from the main Cotswolds area, you might spot a magnificent chalk horse etched into a steep hillside near the village of Cherhill.
This striking figure dates back to 1780, created by a local doctor named Christopher Alsop, and it ranks among Wiltshire's oldest and most prominent hill carvings. The chalk is regularly maintained to keep its distinctive shape sharp and visible.
You can catch a glimpse of the horse from the A4 road as you drive past, but walking up the hill gives you a much better appreciation of the place. At the summit you'll find the Lansdowne Monument, an impressive tall column that rewards the climb with sweeping views across the surrounding landscape. The hilltop itself has deeper history too, as the remains of Oldbury Castle sit there, an Iron Age hillfort that's been part of this landscape for millennia. Spending an hour or two here works well, combining a decent walk with far-reaching views and layers of history you can almost touch. The site is easily reached from nearby Calne, making it a natural stopping point whether you're heading to or coming from the ancient stone circles at Avebury, which lies just a short distance away.
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Photos
I. Giel · Public Domain · Wikimedia Commons
T. Box · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons