| Cerne Abbas |
The Cerne Abbas giant is one of two ancient human representations in England. More brazenly male than the Long Man of Wilmington, he is depicted naked with a huge erect phallus and carrying a giant club. The giant, carved in solid lines from the chalk bedrock measures in at 180 feet high, and forms an imposing sight from the surrounding countryside.
The first obvious written record of the giant was in 1751 in a letter by Dorset historian John Hutchins, another reference to the figure can be found in the Gentleman's magazine of 1764, where the figure is described and depicted with a naval that has long since disappeared.
There are numerous theories to the origin of the figure, the main problem being that hill figures are very difficult to date without accompanying archaeology. One of the more popular theories is the giant represents the Greek Roman god Hercules, who is often represented with a club and an animal fur. The traditional name for the giant was Helith or Helis, adding another tenuous link. Recent excavation suggests the figure used to hold an animal skin in its right hand adding substance to the theory.
Other stories suggest that the monks at the nearby monastery cut the giant as a joke on an Abbott called Thomas Corton, who was expelled from the area for malpractices. This is unlikely but its close proximity to a ecclesiastical house is strange, how could such an obviously pagan symbol have survived for so long, especially through puritanical times and the reformation.
|
|
 |
 The figure was re-cut in 1748 after it had started to fade away, like all chalk figures unless they are re-cut constantly they quickly grow over. It was customary to cut the figure every seven years, but a local vicar objected to the practice and it fell into disuse.
Folklore
According to local folklore a real giant once terrorised the area. After eating a large number of the local sheep, the giant fell asleep on the hillside. The villagers quickly dispatched him by lopping off his head while he was sleeping, and drew an outline around his prone form. The chalk figure would sometimes get up and walk to the stream below the hill to quench his thirst.
In the past the area was used for local festivities, a Mayday ceremony with a maypole and festivities took place at the Trendle or the Frying Pan, the small-enclosed piece of land above the giant's head, until 1635. The giant's obvious sexuality and virility was put to use in fertility folk magic. Local women who wanted to conceive would spend a night alone on the hillside, and young couples would make love on the giant to ensure conception.  |
| Map ref: ST 666 017 |
| Directions: Half a mile North of Cerne Abbas, the best viewpoint is beside the A352. |
|
|
