URPoint Details
Overlooking the pretty town from Bratton Down with its Georgian houses surrounding the market square is its best known feature that of ‘The White Horse’ which was cut in chalk in 1788. Originally the horse was to commemorate King Alfred’s victory over the Danes in the 9th century. It was a carthorse, until ‘a wretch by the name of Gee’, steward to Lord Abingdon, remodelled it in 1778. The horse measured 180ft long and 107ft in height to the shoulder.
Carpets have been made here since Saxon times and given a Royal Charter by William III in 1699.
The 18th century market house in the town square from where a series of ruined arches leads to restored Gothic church. The church is mainly Perpendicular and was restored in 1847. There are some interesting modern rood-screen, 17th and 18th century monuments and a chained copy of the Paraphrases of the New Testament by Erasmus.
- Type:
- Landmark