2o6 THE BATH ROAD 



of the West County and date from Anglo-Saxon times, 

 but dates only from 1780, when it was cut by Dr. 

 Allsop, an eccentric physician of Calne. The site 

 it occupies is said to be the highest point between 

 London and Bath, and the White Horse is supposed 

 to be visible for thirty miles — which there is no 

 occasion to believe. The figure measures 157 feet 

 from head to tail, and the eye alone is 12 feet in 

 diameter. The way the figure was designed is just 

 a little curious. 



No one could possibly have correctly traced the 

 outlines of so huge an affair, except by external aid, 

 which probably accounts for tlie bad drawing of the 

 ancient examples. Dr. Allsop adopted the plan of 

 stationino; himself on the downs in full view of the 

 rough draft, so to speak, which he had already staked 

 out with flags, and of shouting directions to his work- 

 men by the aid of a speaking-trumpet. 



The hillside is so steep at this point that when the 

 White Horse was restored in 1876, a workman was 

 nearly killed by a truck load of chalk descending upon 

 him down the slope. 



Passing this interesting spot and the village of 

 Cherhill, which lies hidden to the right of the road, 

 the highway reaches Calne through its suburb of 

 Quemerford, along a flat road. 



