The area around Tan Hill which rises above a sea of arable land is well known for its crop circles. Whatever their origin, once the crops have been flattened, they cannot be harvested and the 'circles' cause considerable financial loss to local farmers.

In August last year, thirty lean, sun-tanned, scruffy people pulled their handcarts, goats, donkeys and bow-topped wagons to the top of Tan Hill, near Devizes in Wiltshire. They claimed that a Royal Charter, issued in 1499, entitled them to hold a fair at Lammas on the summit. The police arrived in six riot vans, three dog vans and a helicopter. As the revellers trooped back down the hill, the officer in charge said �When will you people realize that this is Wiltshire, and you don�t belong here?� CLICK HERE FOR MORE: 'Grubbing Out the Past' (1996)

Both the chalk horse or "Donkey" are mentioned in Kathleen Wiltshire's Wiltshire Folklore (1975);-

... and a small 'donkey' is still partly visible on Tan Hill, though the legs have become quite overgrown. The shepherds call this 'Donkey Hill' and one told me he had 'eaten bread and cheese on its back scores o' times'. This pony or donkey is 75 feet from nose to tail, which stretches down much like that of the Uffington horse, and its head is very large. ... in the 'valley' between Tan Hill and Rybury Camp stands a miniature stone circle of nine upright sarsen stones about four feet in height, in the centre of which lies a prostrate stone, about the length of a man. A pathway leads up to the 'donkey' from the circle.

Links to Other Pages on this Site The Wansdyke Wiltshire

Links to Other Sites . . . . . the inclusion of these links to other sites is for the interest and convenience of visitors to this site only and does not imply any endorsement of the products or services offered by the individuals or organisations involved nor the accuracy of the information contained therein . . . . . Wiltshire White Horses Web-Site Martinsell and the Tan Hill Way   www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk The Wansdyke: Section 8: Shepherds� Shore to Milk Hill Wiltshire   Wansdyke Project 21 Rybury Camp/Tan Hill/The Chalkpit   AllCannings.net

Links to Other Pages on this Site TOWNS & VILLAGES Alton Barnes   Wiltshire, England 3.6 km SW Alton Priors   Wiltshire, England 3.6 km SW Stanton St Bernard   Wiltshire, England 2.5 km SW Beechingstoke   Wiltshire, England 5.3 km SW Woodborough   Wiltshire, England 5.6 km SW Mannington Bruce   Wiltshire, England 7.9 km SW Cherhill   Wiltshire, England 7.1 km NE OTHER PLACES West Kennet Long Barrow   Wiltshire, England 3,500-year-old long barrow - one of the longest in England & Wales - the burial chambers open to the public 3.9 km NE Silbury Hill   Wiltshire, England The purpose of the huge mound, a huge investment of prehistoric resources, can only be guessed at 4.4 km NE Windmill Hill   Wiltshire, England 5,500-year-old Neolithic causewayed enclosure - one of the earliest Neolithic settlements in England 7 km NE Devizes Museum   41 Long St, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1NS World famous Neolithic, Bronze and iron age collections. 7.8 km SW Wiltshire Heritage Museum   41 Long Street, Devizes, Wilts. SN10 1NS The archaeology collections trace the history of people in Wiltshire from the earliest times - Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, and Medieval. The Recent History gallery describes different aspects of life in Wiltshire in more m 7.8 km SW Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum   Downside, Stockley Lane, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 Cars from 1924-83, classic motorbikes and memorabilia. 10.3 km NW Barbury Castle   Swindon, Wiltshire, England The Iron Age hill fort on the ridgeway dominates the downland to the south or Swindon and Wroughton 13.4 km NE Camping Sites Hill View Park Oare, Wiltshire   SN8 4JE 7.8 km SW North Leaze Farm Camp Site North Leaze Farm, Highworth, Wiltshire   SN6 7QT 7.8 km SW Blackland Leisure Ltd Stockley Lane, Calne, Wiltshire   SN11 0NQ 8.7 km NE Forest Holidays Postern Hill Campsite, Savernake Forest, Marlborough, Wiltshire   SN8 4ND 12 km NW Stonehenge Touring Park Orcheston, Salisbury, Wiltshire   SP3 4SH 19.3 km SE Hotels The Woodbridge Inn North Newnton, Wiltshire   SN9 6JZ 9.1 km SW Police Stations Calne Police Station Silver St, Calne, Wiltshire   SN11 0JF 10.2 km NE Marlborough Police Station George Lane, Marlborough, Wiltshire   SN8 4DB 11.9 km NW Wootton Bassett Police Station Lime Kiln, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire   SN4 7JJ 18.4 km NE Swindon Divisional Headquarters Princes St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 2HZ 21.4 km NW Trowbridge Police Station Polebarn Rd, Trowbridge, Wiltshire   BA14 7EP 23 km SE 158 Pro Coy Rmp Bulford Barracks, Salisbury, Wiltshire   SP4 9JZ 23.4 km SW Amesbury Police Station Salisbury Rd, Amesbury, Wiltshire   SP4 7HQ 24.7 km SW Westbury Police Station 7 Station Rd, Westbury, Wiltshire   BA13 3JL 24.8 km SE Warminster Police Station Station Rd, Warminster, Wiltshire   BA12 9BR 28.1 km SE Post Offices Phelps Parade PO 21 Phelps Parade, Calne, Wiltshire   SN11 0HA 10.6 km NE Tilshead Sub-PO High St, Tilshead, Wiltshire   SP3 4RX 17.2 km SE Chiseldon Sub-PO 2 Turnball, Chiseldon, Wiltshire   SN4 0LJ 18.3 km NW Semington PO Stores High St, Semington, Wiltshire   BA14 6JR 18.6 km SE Great Bedwyn PO 90 Church St, Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire   SN8 3PF 19.6 km SW Bratton PO Melbourne St, Bratton, Wiltshire   BA13 4RW 20.4 km SE Clifton Street PO 158 Clifton St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3QB 20.5 km NW Lawn PO 44 Guildford Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN3 1JE 20.6 km NW Post Office Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3BL 20.7 km NW Westcott Place PO 175 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 5DL 20.9 km NW Park PO 31-33 Cavendish Square, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN3 2LP 21.4 km NW Aldbourne PO & Stores 13 The Square, Aldbourne, Wiltshire   SN8 2DU 21.4 km NW Rodbourne Road PO 169-170 Rodbourne Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN2 2AY 21.5 km NW Liden PO Liden Centre, Liden, Wiltshire   SN3 6HP 21.5 km NW Holt PO 180 The Common, Holt, Wiltshire   BA14 6QL 21.6 km SE G & L (Queens Drive PO) 2 Queens Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN3 1AW 21.8 km NW Queens Drive PO G & L, 2 Queens Drive, Wiltshire   SN3 1AW 21.8 km NW Walcot PO Sussex Square, Walcot, Wiltshire   SN3 3BJ 21.8 km NW Durrington PO & Stores 67 Bulford Rd, Durrington, Wiltshire   SP4 8DL 21.9 km SW Eldene PO Eldene Shopping Centre, Dorcan, Wiltshire   SN3 3RZ 22 km NW Post Office Wheatstone Rd, Dorcan, Wiltshire   SN3 5HG 22.1 km NW Ferndale Road PO 248 Ferndale Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN2 1HB 22.3 km NW Cheney Manor PO 84 Cheney Manor Rd, Cheney Manor, Wiltshire   SN2 2NR 22.3 km NW Gorse Hill PO 90 Cricklade Rd, Gorse Hill, Wiltshire   SN2 8AF 22.5 km NW Wanborough PO High St, Wanborough, Wiltshire   SN4 0AD 22.9 km NW Covingham Square PO 2 Covingham Square, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN3 5AA 23.2 km NW Post Office 1a Roundstone St, Trowbridge, Wiltshire   BA14 8DJ 23.2 km SE Seymour Rd PO Seymour Rd, Trowbridge, Wiltshire   BA14 8LS 23.5 km SE Oxford Road Sub-PO 96 Oxford Rd, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire   SN3 4HD 23.8 km NW Clive Parade PO 12 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire   SN2 1AJ 23.9 km NW Brook Road PO 72 Brook Rd, Trowbridge, Wiltshire   BA14 9DL 24.4 km SE Stratton St Margaret Post Office Rainer Close, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire   SN3 4YA 24.6 km NW Stratton St Margaret PO Rainer Close, Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire   SN3 4YA 24.6 km NW Penhill PO 8 Braydon Court, Penhill Drive, Penhill, Wiltshire   SN2 5DZ 24.6 km NW Westbury PO 42 Edward St, Westbury, Wiltshire   BA13 3BG 24.6 km SE Queens Square PO 2 Queens Square, Westbury, Wiltshire   BA13 3LR 25.3 km SE South Marston PO Highworth Rd, South Marston, Wiltshire   SN3 4SF 26.1 km NW Goodwin Close PO & Community Store Goodwin Close, Warminster, Wiltshire   BA12 0DF 26.7 km SE Heytesbury PO Stores 67 High St, Heytesbury, Wiltshire   BA12 0ED 26.8 km SE Warminster Common Sub-PO One Stop Community Stores, Broadway Roundabout, Wiltshire   BA12 8EB 29.6 km SE Public Houses The Kings Arms Inn The Street, All Cannings, Wiltshire   SN10 3PA 2.8 km SE The Barge Inn Honeystreet, Pewsey, Wiltshire   SN9 5PS 3.7 km SW Waggon & Horses mpton, Wiltshire   SN8 1QJ 4.3 km NW The Bridge Inn Horton Rd, Devizes, Wiltshire   SN10 2JS 4.3 km SE The Crown Inn Chandlers Lane, Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire   SN10 2JZ 4.4 km SE The New Inn Devizes, Wiltshire   SN10 3LB 5 km SE Restaurants The Running Horse Wootton Bassett Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 4NQ 20.3 km NW Connies 53 Devizes Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 4BG 20.4 km NW Lacasita Mexican Resturant & Takeaway 6 Devizes Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 4BJ 20.5 km NW Fabio 15 Bath Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 4AS 20.5 km NW Pizza Express plc 5 Bath Rd, Old Town, Wiltshire   SN1 4AS 20.5 km NW Poms Thai Cusine 24 High St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3EP 20.5 km NW Il-Capricorno Restorante Marlborough House, 26 High St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3EP 20.5 km NW Jalapenos Tex Mex Restaurant 16 Wood St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 4AB 20.6 km NW Mario`s Trattoria 7 Wood St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 4AN 20.6 km NW New Biplob 12-14 Wood St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 4AB 20.6 km NW Biplob Tandoori Restaurant 12-14 Wood St, Old Town, Wiltshire   SN1 4AB 20.6 km NW Picklejohns 25-27 Wood St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 4AN 20.6 km NW Blue Spice 122 Victoria Rd, Old Town, Wiltshire   SN1 3BH 20.7 km NW Eastern Eye 116 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3BH 20.7 km NW Curry Garden 90 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3BD 20.7 km NW Haweli Bilti Ghar 89 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3BD 20.7 km NW Gaetano`s Italian Restaurant 131 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3BU 20.8 km NW Thai Orchid 133-134 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3BU 20.8 km NW Swanky`s Restaurant Brasserie 141 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 5DL 20.9 km NW Shanghai 171-173 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 5DL 20.9 km NW Shanghai Restaurant 171-173 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 5DL 20.9 km NW Beefeater Restaurant & Pub The Grove, Drove Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3AG 21 km NW Parasol 96-97 Commercial Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 5PL 21 km NW Karahi King Restaurant & Takeaway 38 Commercial Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 5NS 21 km NW The Jewel in the Crown 16 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3AL 21.1 km NW Rafu`s Tandoori 188-189 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3DF 21.1 km NW Jewel in the Crown 16 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3AL 21.1 km NW Star Express Restaurant 2 Regent Circus, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1PN 21.1 km NW Bombay Brassery 1 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3AJ 21.1 km NW Khyber Restaurant 5-6 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3AJ 21.1 km NW The Victoria Palace 13 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3AJ 21.1 km NW New World 8 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3AJ 21.1 km NW Bombay Brasserie 1 Victoria Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3AJ 21.1 km NW Burger King (UK) Ltd 49-51 Regent St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1JS 21.2 km NW The Appartment 16-18 Havelock Square, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1LE 21.2 km NW McDonald`s Restaurants Ltd 23-25 Canal Walk, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1LD 21.2 km NW Monsoon Contemporary Indian Cuisine 13 Faringdon Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 5AR 21.2 km NW Little Chef Turnpike Roundabout, A419 (Groundwell Corner), Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 2LU 21.3 km NW The Waterfall Chinese Restaurant 61 Fleet St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1RA 21.4 km NW Fletchers 62-64 Fleet St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1RA 21.4 km NW Gianni Ristorante 16-17 Bridge St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1BU 21.4 km NW The Octagon 4 New Bridge Square, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1EA 21.6 km NW Canteen 175 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 1TU 21.8 km NW Laila Barbecue Restaurant & Take Away 52 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 2AG 22 km NW Sammy`S 17 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire   SN2 1AJ 23.9 km NW Video Sales & Hire Showtime Unit 1 , The High St, Calne, Wiltshire   SN11 0BS 10.6 km NE The Little Film Shop Ltd 116 Eastcott Hill, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 3JH 20.7 km NW Apollo Home Entertainment 133-135 Manchester Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN1 2AF 21.8 km NW Video Shack 34 Ipswich St, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN2 1DB 22.3 km NW Videostop 347a Cheney Manor Rd, Swindon, Wiltshire   SN2 2PE 23.2 km NW Video Solent Ltd 7 Clive Parade, Cricklade Rd, Pinehurst, Wiltshire   SN2 1AJ 23.9 km NW Blockbuster Entertainment 3 George St, Warminster, Wiltshire   BA12 8QA 28.4 km SE