Location
On the side of Waughton hill facing the village just below Hunter's Lodge
Strichen, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire
OS Map Reference
NJ 9613 56
Date
Circa 1800
Description
There are many different stories as to the origin of the horse. One is give below. The horse is constructed of quartz on Waughton Hill which is contiguous with Mormond hill (usually the whole prominence is referred to as Mormond). It is 162' long by 126' high. The horse was cleaned in 1937, 1949, 1968 and more recently in 1994. The hill is neither high nor steep but as the surrounding landscape is very flat, much of it peat bog, the hill and the horse are a significant presence in the landscape for some miles around.
Related Information
The horse was "commissioned" by Captain Fraser who succeeded to the estate in 1775. It was to be a memorial to a selfless act that had inspired him during his service for King and Country during the bitter years of the French Revolutionary wars. He gathered the local populace on Mormond Hill and set them the task of creating a horse. The horse is 164ft/50m from nose to tail and 146ft/44.5m from head to hoof, filled with white quartz and is now a well known Buchan landmark. While on campaign with the British Army in Holland Captain Fraser was involved in a battle near the town of Gilzen, south of Rotterdam. (The town is now known as Gilze). He was unfortunate to have his horse shot from beneath him which left him vulnerable during the fight. His faithful sergeant James Hutcheon, of New Pitsligo, dismounted and offered his white horse to his captain saying, "Never mind sir, I shall soon find another riderless mount." Having uttered these words he was shot dead. There was no time to mourn his loss during the heat of battle but the memory of actions that day stayed with Captain Fraser until his return to Strichen. In 1820/1 the horse was created. Since then it has been looked after by succeeding generations of Strichen folk who from time to time gather to inspect the horse and remove the weeds that grow there.
Era
1800s
Information Source
Http://www.buchanweb.org/btg/btg_pages/mormond.htm and the hill figure homepage the only site with all the hillfigures of the UK at http://www.hows.org.uk/personal/hillfigs/
Related Artefacts
Categories
Iconography
- horse
External Links
Photographer
- David Watson Hood
Unavailable Data
- Creator
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