📷 Photo by TangoTizerWolfstone · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
If you're exploring the broader Wiltshire landscape, just a short drive from the southern reaches of the Cotswolds lies Marlborough, a vibrant market town with a notably wide high street.
High above the town, etched into the chalk downs, you'll discover a striking hill figure: the Marlborough White Horse. Unlike some of its ancient counterparts elsewhere, this one was carved in 1804 by pupils from a local academy as a lasting mark on the landscape.
You can best appreciate its form by viewing it from a distance, perhaps from the town itself or from certain vantage points along the surrounding walking paths that crisscross the downs. While there's no direct access to walk on the horse itself, the views of it against the green backdrop are genuinely rewarding. It offers a compelling reason to visit Marlborough, where you can spend time browsing independent shops, enjoying a coffee, or exploring historic buildings like St Peter's Church, now an arts centre. The town also carries considerable history, with connections to Roman times and its past as a significant coaching stop. A visit here combines rural spectacle with the amenities of a bustling market town, making for a fulfilling day out.
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Photos
T. Box · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
D. Blenkinsopp · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons