The Land of the White Horse: Visions of England by David Miles

The Land of the White Horse: Visions of England Reviews

• 
  Mathew

  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

  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

  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

  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.
• 
  Caroline

  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.
• 
  Karen Eliot

  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.
• 
  Carol Aldred

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

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