Marlborough White Horse, Horse hill figure in Marlborough, England
Marlborough White Horse is a chalk figure cut into Granham Hill within the grounds of Marlborough College in the town of Marlborough, England. The figure shows a horse in profile, with the white chalk kept exposed by regularly scraping away the grass that grows over it.
The figure was cut in 1804 by students from Mr. Greasley's Academy, working under the direction of William Canning. It has been refreshed several times since then to keep it from disappearing under the growing grass.
The white horse is part of Marlborough College's identity and appears in the school's song. Students and volunteers still take care of it today, keeping the figure visible on the hillside.
The figure is visible from outside the Marlborough College grounds and is easiest to read from a distance. Clear daylight and dry weather make the contrast between the white chalk and the green hillside much easier to see.
This figure is the smallest of all the chalk horses found across Wiltshire. Its small size does not make maintenance any easier, as the grass grows back quickly and can cover the figure within a few seasons if left untended.
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