The Land of the White Horse: Visions of England

by David Miles

An exploration of one of England’s great ancient the 360-foot-long chalk White Horse at Uffington. The White Horse at Uffington is an icon of the English landscape―a prehistoric, nearly abstract figure 360 feet long, carved into the green turf of a chalk hill. Along with Stonehenge, the Horse is widely regarded as one of the Wonders of Britain. For centuries antiquarians, travelers, and local people have speculated about the age of the Horse, who created it, and why. Was it a memorial to King Alfred the Great’s victory over the Danes, an emblem of the first Anglo-Saxon settlers, was the Horse an actor in an elaborate prehistoric ritual, drawing the sun across the sky? Archaeologist David Miles explores the rich history of the ancient white horse, as well as the surrounding landscape, in order to understand the people who have lived there since the end of the Ice Age. As Miles tracks the possible origin of this English landmark, he also illuminates how the White Horse has influenced countless artists, poets, and writers, including Eric Ravilious, John Betjeman, and J. R. R. Tolkien. The White Horse is one of most remarkable monuments of England, not least because it is still intact. People have cared for it and curated it for centuries, even millennia. Ultimately, Miles, using an archaeological framework, roots a myth for modern times in scientific findings. 60 illustrations

Genres: History, Nonfiction, British Literature, Prehistory, Archaeology

304 pages, Hardcover

Published November 5, 2019

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(3)archaeology

Miles, David, 1947-
from Library of Congress website

Reviews

[Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive. Illuminating and richly informed. This is a rich excavation into the foundations of the story behind the White Horse and the land surrounding it. Miles presents a fascinating and entertaining picture as to 'why' the icon may have endured for as long as it has drawing upon multiple sources and steadily, assuredly unveiling its history.
Although I understood the need final two chapters, placing the White Horse in the 'now', I felt they didn't quite run with the same steam and vitality as previous chapters. Nonetheless, this has to be 'the' best account of our great wonder to date.

[Bryan Wigmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Approaches the enigmatic chalk figure from all directions and views it from all angles, marrying it with a short history of humanity's relationship with the horse and the animal's cultural symbolism. Occasionally the focus on the White Horse itself feels a bit loose, and there's a bit more "general" history than I would have liked, some of which I skimmed, but overall this does a great job and proves a richly satisfying read right to the end.

[Stewart Monckton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful booked packed with ideas and discussion about how the White Horse came to be, what it may have signified and why it survived.

Not a fast read as the book is dense with moments that make you pause and think.

Highly recommended.

[Bekki Shining Bearheart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

I have visited England 6 times and am lucky to have friend there who loves to visit ancient sites, so I have been to the Horse, and walked to Wayland's Smithy, a number of times. It is probably my most favorite ancient site in England.

Reading about ancient cultures and studying their life ways, especially their spiritual ways, is a passion of mine. I found this book deeply satisfying. The author gave me so much of what I was craving- a deep investigative look at a place and a part of the country that speaks to my soul and stimulates my curiosity about ancient peoples, but also a deep look at humankind's complex and multifaceted relationship with the horse throughout time and space.

I'm an American who grew up deeply embedded in the European cultures of my recently-immigrated families (Hungarian and Danish) and I have been exploring the ancient history of my people for a long time. I found that the chapters about human migration and the development of the horse-human relationship tied many strands together for me in a new way and context.

It was not always an easy read- lots to digest- but I found myself returning again and again to discover more and to celebrate this sacred place in yet another way.

As an artist and writer, even the chapters about the artists and writers inspired by the Horse to create something of their own was interesting to me. I will be seeking out their creations in order to savor their experience of the Horse and the surrounding landscape. I was touched by his including such people as Kipling and Scott- for my first exposure to Wayland' Smithy was reading "Puck of Pook's Hill" as a kid. Little did I think I would ever visit that amazing place my self, but I have sat in the chamber and sung to the ancestors there.

And just as he related, ashes of a beloved are scattered on the Horse Hill and at the Smithy, and a few other special places throughout the countryside. Reading that gave me a chill.

I found the book at my local library, but there will be a copy in my personal collection soon.

[Chris P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The chalk features of the Uffington White Horse form an iconic part of the English landscape. For hundreds of years, visitors have been fascinated by this creature, as well as the nearby Dragon Hill, Uffington Castle, and especially for me as a kid, the burial mound Wayland Smithy. But when was the image carved into the hillside, what did it signify, and how did the figure survive through the ages and changes in society and religious belief? Archaeologist David Miles delves into these questions and more, in a text that weaves English history, the history of mankind's relationship with the horse, and the effect of the White Horse on artists' imaginations. It might easily have added up to a dry read, but Miles' conversational style and personal touches contribute to an engaging narrative for the lay reader who has fallen under the Horse's spell.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

DM writes concisely, vividly, and evocatively about the terrain, social history, rural customs of this small area of England, which makes for an excellent read. However, if you are looking for an analysis of the archaeological findings of his excavation (how deep is the chalk, etc.) he does not report this information. He does discuss discursively the importance of the horse in pre-history and early history, from the steppe cultures through the Mediterranean cultures, and those of the Celts, which help understanding why the horse image, rather than some other image, adorns this hillside. He speculates on what the creation of this image might have meant to the tribe/s that created it. The book is well-illustrated with color photographs.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book although not quite what I expected. I suppose the subtitle should have clued me in that this would be less about the actual White Horse (which I'd never heard of till I ran across this book at the library - what a fascinating and strange thing!) and more about What It Means. I wanted more archaeology and less analysis of the role of horses in European history or the myths of English history.
I found it ever so slightly less than organized, maybe because I kept expecting something that didn't happen.
I loved the chapter where they excavated the chalk of the Horse and determined its age. I was happiest whenever there was archaeology and wish there had been more.

[Derek Baldwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of archaeological details but plenty of just about everything else too. Mythology, how horses were tamed and became a source of power to warrior folk, popular rites, poetry and painting, general English history, all centred upon the magnificent white horse of Uffington. The patchwork quilt of the narrative is not always terribly well done, and some footnotes here and there would have helped eg what is a quarter in the context of crop yields? But well written, lots of good illustrations, and on the whole quite a lot better than the newish genre of BBC2esque travelogues eg the one about the A303.

[Ginni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable - a combination of archaeology, history, science - and also an evocation of England and particularly the Berkshire Downs, the Ridgeway and the Uffington White Horse. This chimed with me, as a resident of Berkshire for about 20 years, and I found it fascinating. The book was also a pleasure to read because it is published by Thames and Hudson and the hardback edition which I borrowed from the library felt weighty and well crafted, with beautiful thick pages and excellent illustrations. It does make a difference!

[Carol Aldred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was hoping for more, particularly about the authors own dig at Uffington and work with the local historical society

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's this horse on a hill. And it turns out to be very old. Emotionally draining.