Cherhill Down

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Cherhill Down
Wiltshire
Cherhillwhitehorse.jpg
Cherhill Down and the White Horse, from Cherhill
Range: Marlborough Downs
Summit: 840 feet SU048693
51°25’23"N, 1°55’53"W

Cherhill Down rises above the village of Cherhill, amongst the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire. The scarp of the hill curves round in a crescent facing Cherhill to the north, and into the chalk of this escarpment is carved the Cherhill White Horse, cut in 1780.

Also on the hill stands the Lansdowne obelisk, erected in 1845 by the 3rd Marquess Lansdowne in honour of his ancestor Sir William Petty.

The part of the hill around the horse and obelisk is owned by the National Trust.

Summit

On a clear day, the 840-foot summit of the Down offers fine views, up to 25 miles, with the water tower at Tetbury in Gloucestershire visible. Atop the tall hill to the north of the village, opposite to Cherhill Downs, it is said to be possible to see the two Severn crossings, the Severn Bridge and Second Severn Crossing, 38 miles to the west.