Long Man of Wilmington

Long Man of Wilmington, hill figure, originally carved in chalk on the slopes of the South Downs, near the village of Willingdon, about 10 km (6 mi) north-west of Eastbourne, in East Sussex, England. It is the tallest hill figure in Britain, and—apart from the Cerne Abbas Giant, in Dorset—the only representation of the human form. The Long Man is depicted in outline form and holds a long, thin pole in each hand. The figure is 68.8 m (226 ft) tall, and the two poles measure 71.6 m (235 ft)—the tallest point of the carving—and 70.1 m (230 ft) respectively.

There are several conflicting theories concerning the dating of the Long Man of Wilmington. The earliest known reference to the Long Man is a drawing, made in 1710 by a local surveyor. Traditionally, some scholars have argued that the figure dates from the Roman period, while others support the view that it dates from Anglo-Saxon times. Another theory is that the figure was carved into the hillside some time between the 11th and 15th centuries by a monk from Wilmington Priory. In 2003, a team of environmental archaeologists examined samples of soil and other materials unearthed at the site in an attempt to calculate the precise date of the figure’s origin. The conclusions of this research suggested that the carving in fact originated in the late 16th or early 17th century.

Until the 19th century, the Long Man of Wilmington was not clearly visible on the hillside. It could only be seen in certain lighting conditions or following a light snowfall. In 1874 the carving underwent a major restoration, when the chalk outline was replaced with yellow bricks. During World War II, the Long Man was painted green, to prevent it from being used by the German air force as a landmark during bombing raids. White concrete blocks were used to refurbish the figure in 1969. The site is maintained by the Sussex Archaeological Society, and is periodically cleaned and repainted.

The Long Man of Wilmington has traditionally been associated with numerous fertility and healing rites. The site is also important to Druid and pagan revellers, who visit the carving to celebrate festivals such as Midsummer and Beltane. At dawn on May Day each year, a troop of morris dancers performs at the foot of the Long Man.