tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post5984615507152388199..comments2024-03-23T12:38:46.260+00:00Comments on The History Girls: The White Horse of Uffington by Katherine LangrishMary Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-43033701544569283862013-06-03T23:13:10.528+01:002013-06-03T23:13:10.528+01:00There's a great exhibition of hill figures on ...There's a great exhibition of hill figures on at the Vale and Downland Museum this month June 2013 - for anyone who stumbled across this blogpost as I did when researching the White Horse at Uffington - its a real treat! MJChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04679079723290135801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-84042369952710012422012-04-30T16:10:21.229+01:002012-04-30T16:10:21.229+01:00Kath, try this for a modern White Horse of Uffingt...Kath, try this for a modern White Horse of Uffington poem in every sense: http://www.journallive.co.uk/culture-newcastle/arts-news/2011/11/05/uffington-white-horse-puts-poetry-in-motion-61634-29722893/<br />Note that the poet's words <br />'It doesn’t look much like a horse but it does look like the spirit of a horse' echo perfectly the words of the character in the Terry Pratchett book! Uncanny :)Aidan McGeehttp://worldlyscandifriend.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-63876787866035725732012-04-30T09:21:23.644+01:002012-04-30T09:21:23.644+01:00I'm fascinated by the white horses. There'...I'm fascinated by the white horses. There's one in Wiltshire, near Eddington, that I used in my book about Alfred, Warrior King. Eddington was where a significant battle took place, but I couldn't resist a magical episode involving the White Horse and my favourite character in the book, Cerys. But how wonderful to see the Uffingon horse in the moonlight! What mystifies me is how they managed to design them, all those years ago - when as you say, you can only really see them from above or at a distance.Sue Purkisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084528571944803477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-27125447988967680912012-04-29T19:03:38.289+01:002012-04-29T19:03:38.289+01:00Love your blog so much, I've nominated you for...Love your blog so much, I've nominated you for the versatile Blogger Award. xhigglepea home edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494424123662638376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-20154703707572905962012-04-29T17:51:56.158+01:002012-04-29T17:51:56.158+01:00I love the early Celtic coin images too, Katherine...I love the early Celtic coin images too, Katherine. Am envious of your seeing the Horse by moonlight - I did once spend a night's vigil there but it was grey and misty and rather damp. I sing another folksong called White Horse Hill by the writer Peter Please to my children almost every night. Chalk is a very magical substance, isn't it, underfoot...Jane Borodalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04869783602793206715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-52554524355442693072012-04-29T08:11:52.139+01:002012-04-29T08:11:52.139+01:00I'm afraid I'm no use on that question, bu...I'm afraid I'm no use on that question, but I used to live in Uffington too! A gorgeous village, and the White Horse felt like a personal friend, though a very ancient & mysteriously powerful one...H.M. Castorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08716936870601385683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-67099384983906874772012-04-28T22:53:40.157+01:002012-04-28T22:53:40.157+01:00You'd have thought so, wouldn't you? But ...You'd have thought so, wouldn't you? But not so far as I can tell. Anyone know?Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-50617033652650387602012-04-28T21:28:03.194+01:002012-04-28T21:28:03.194+01:00Thanks ever so much for the link to the White Hors...Thanks ever so much for the link to the White Horse Song! Didn't Betjeman write at least one line or verse about the White Horse of Uffington? He lived there for eleven years!Aidan McGeehttp://worldlyscandifriend.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-81197050788319552442012-04-28T19:46:28.242+01:002012-04-28T19:46:28.242+01:00Seeing the White Horse by moonlight sounds absolut...Seeing the White Horse by moonlight sounds absolutely wonderful. We love it, though it's some years since we've been there. The kids used to enjoy it, and another fascinating place in the area is Wayland's smithy, the old barrow, which I wouldn't visit at night for any money, for fear of a barrow-wight. Thank you for this post, Kath!Leslie Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15105465949970430998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-14941443375161009642012-04-28T14:18:56.321+01:002012-04-28T14:18:56.321+01:00What a smashing post! Thanks.What a smashing post! Thanks.adelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15826710558292792068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-2095898907155426762012-04-28T13:55:56.158+01:002012-04-28T13:55:56.158+01:00I've only seen it once, in about 1990, in a pr...I've only seen it once, in about 1990, in a profound white fog so dense you couldn't see the slopes below or the sky above. <br /><br />It seemed to float on cloud and under cloud.<br /><br />Must go and have another look some time.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16288917377032021803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-82475057260881388002012-04-28T13:48:07.941+01:002012-04-28T13:48:07.941+01:00Ah, I remember walking up there! I've sat in i...Ah, I remember walking up there! I've sat in its tail, but not by moonlight. Afterwards, I was inspired to write a novel about the white horses of Britain... but it didn't get past chapter 3, and later morphed into the fairy horses of Avalon, and so found its way into my latest series about King Arthur's daughter.<br /><br />But I love that poem!Katherine Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-55231878826327838202012-04-28T13:45:29.718+01:002012-04-28T13:45:29.718+01:00I assume you are aware that Rosemary Sutcliff'...I assume you are aware that Rosemary Sutcliff's novel<br /> Sun Horse, Moon Horse centres around The White <br />Horse of Uffington?<br /><br />In her imagining of the origins of The White Horse, Lubrin Dhu, a chief's (third) artistically-talented son, seeks in his impermanent drawings the feel and the flight of the birds, or of the horses which are central to his people's economy. Invaders from the South, also horse people, invade and conquer. To protect the few who survive the siege, Lubrin makes a bargain with the new chief. He will create the horse on the hillside, and in return his people will be free to move on to other horse runs, further north. She refers to Lubrin's work as 'picture-magic'.Anthony Lawtonhttp://www.rosemarysutcliff.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-53093280881865689422012-04-28T13:42:21.333+01:002012-04-28T13:42:21.333+01:00I have loved it whatever weather I have seen it in...I have loved it whatever weather I have seen it in but always by day.<br /><br />Yes, Sue, it's a definite Charney plan! Are you going? I'd love to see it by moonlight. Thanks, Kath!Mary Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241989732624913706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-49057910811171943772012-04-28T13:00:06.281+01:002012-04-28T13:00:06.281+01:00But it's not a horse ... it's a wippitt!But it's not a horse ... it's a wippitt!madwippitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02595748471651052552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-25581215655043055832012-04-28T12:40:25.914+01:002012-04-28T12:40:25.914+01:00I was a young girl visiting relatives in England w...I was a young girl visiting relatives in England with him the first time my dad took me to see this. It was indeed magical.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15988251415347075888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-65959221136548319412012-04-28T11:37:41.109+01:002012-04-28T11:37:41.109+01:00Wonderful post, Katherine. I've only ever visi...Wonderful post, Katherine. I've only ever visited in rainy muddy daylight, and it was still magical and truly strange - but I must meet it by moonlight one day.Susie Dayhttp://www.susieday.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-71102880964608637232012-04-28T10:51:12.292+01:002012-04-28T10:51:12.292+01:00Magical, Kath. I add my thanks to Penny's. May...Magical, Kath. I add my thanks to Penny's. Maybe the Charneyites should organise a moonlight trip?Susan Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738737493756183909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-23669665600907412232012-04-28T10:18:21.212+01:002012-04-28T10:18:21.212+01:00A wonderful shivery post! A place made more magica...A wonderful shivery post! A place made more magical by moonlight. Thank you.Penny Dolanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16386668303428008498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-1522791008949270662012-04-28T09:49:05.011+01:002012-04-28T09:49:05.011+01:00I know it well - the way it seems to drift across ...I know it well - the way it seems to drift across the hillside, like music. <br /><br />(The Marlborough white horse - a few years ago the lads at the College decided to give it a very large penis. It appeared to have 5 legs. Its endowment has now grown over.)<br /><br />And - next time you drift southwards, try wandering around Avebury at night. If only those stones could tell their stories!JOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03127111575563904349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-29377474238153288382012-04-28T09:45:01.327+01:002012-04-28T09:45:01.327+01:00Oh to see it by moonlight! Sounds wonderful, Kathe...Oh to see it by moonlight! Sounds wonderful, Katherine. I've seen it in the day time, some time ago. I love its fluidity, as if it's been painted with a brush by a master calligrapher. And how odd that it is best viewed from the air.Mark Burgesshttp://www.markburgess.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5502671101756463249.post-78999841795820860852012-04-28T09:39:22.923+01:002012-04-28T09:39:22.923+01:00The really eerie thing is that this animal (be it ...The really eerie thing is that this animal (be it horse or dragon or something else)actually seems to be moving. It is absolutely marvellous and I have always been grateful to the person who went out of their way to show it to me.catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.com