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The Cerne Abbas Giant has just undergone its once-in-a-decade rechalking, restoring the famous foothill figure to its striking white appearance. With the Giant standing at an impressive 55m (180ft) tall, the task required some 20 tonnes (3,150 stone) of fresh chalk, along with the help of numerous National Trust staff, volunteers, and members of the public. The Giant’s origins have long been the subject of debate, with theories ranging from a Roman representation of Hercules to a satirical depiction of Oliver Cromwell. Recent scientific analyses, however, have determined that the figure was probably created during the Anglo-Saxon period, dating to sometime between AD 700 and 1100 (se CA 365, CA 376, and CA 410).
The latest conservation work on the site comes in the wake of a successful fundraising initiative, which has enabled the National Trust to buy large swathes of the surrounding landscape, amounting to 130ha (320 acres) of land in total. The appeal reached its £330,000 target in just 60 days, thanks to donations from people across Britain and as far away as Iceland, Japan, and Australia. This purchase means that a mosaic of habitats can be connected for the first time, not only improving access to the area’s rich archaeological landscape but also providing a safe refuge for native species such as the endangered Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
Hannah Jefferson, General Manager for the National Trust at West Dorset & Cranborne Chase, said: ‘This rechalking feels especially meaningful. For centuries, people have cared for the Giant by renewing him in chalk. Now, thanks to thousands of people coming together through the appeal, we can care not just for the figure itself, but for the extraordinary landscape that surrounds him. As fresh white chalk restores the Giant’s unmistakable outline once more, it is a powerful reminder that his story is still being written – not just by history, but by the people of today.’
Text: Kathryn Krakowka / Image: National Trust, Steve Sayers
