ch. xviii SECOND MARRIAGE 193 



mine, which knows the exact spot to look for it. I daresay 

 you are aware that it is an absolutely unique pagan 

 monument. I gave in for popular purposes (in the little 

 book I wrote about it) to the popular theory in the vale, 

 that it is a memorial of Alfred's victory over the Danes 

 at Ashdown (close by), but there is not the least doubt 

 that it is at least a century and a half older, being in 

 shape the animal which went for a horse on the pagan 

 standard of the West Saxons. There were many, thirteen 

 at least, in other parts of England, all of which have been 

 lost, as this seems likely to be in our awakened time ! 

 When I was a boy there was a feeling about it all through 

 the country side which enforced its cleaning (" scouring " 

 it was called) every few years, whether Lord Craven did 

 his duty by it, as ground landlord, or not. But then its 

 preservation was connected with rough rural sports, 

 which have disappeared before school boards and the 

 blue ribbon army, and seem likely to carry the Horse 

 with them. The late Lord Craven didn't care a straw 

 for such things, and never had it scraped or touched that 

 I ever heard of, and now he is dead and his heir only ten 

 or twelve years old. If your Society (is there one ?) 

 will intervene I will gladly subscribe towards the 

 expenses of scraping and stamping the chalk, which is 

 all that is necessary. While I am about it I may add 

 that I see a heavy clump of trees grown up round 

 " Wayland Smith's Cave," an interesting Druidical (or 

 other) cromlech about a mile from the W. Horse, towards 

 Ashbury, on the hill-top, and it would be satisfactory 

 to know whether this monument (referred to in W. 

 Scott's Woodstock, and round which hangs a curious 

 tradition) is still there and in what condition. 



I hope the Working Men's College flourishes and does 

 not tax you too much ? I am just up for a few days to 

 keep term, not too late to wish you all good in the new 

 year. — Ever yours, Tho. Hughes. 



You will find this White Horse mentioned in Domes- 

 day Book. 



A frequent and valued correspondent, already 

 quoted, was the Reverend A. C. Smith of Yates- 

 bury Rectory, Calne, not far from Avebury. 

 The following letter from him shows how great a 



vol. i o 



