The History of the Pentland Horse
The History of the Horse
The famous figure of a white horse on Cheriton Hill is inextricably linked with the story of Pentland Homes. This landmark is dedicated to the people of Folkestone in commemoration of the millennium of 2000. It was inspired by the discovery of an Anglo-Saxon coin with the image of a horse on land belonging to the Tory family, who are the owners of Pentland Homes.
93 metres long and 43 metres high from nose to hoof, the Folkestone White Horse is an inspiring vision that can be seen for miles, especially for visitors using the Channel Tunnel. Sited on the hillside owned by the Tory family’s charitable foundation, its future is secured. This remarkable figure was built by a team of volunteers led by Richard Beaugie. Local artist Charles Newington designed the horse and directed the work from a distance by short wave radio. A team of Gurkhas, stationed locally, worked for two weeks to position the white slabs that underpin the design.
With the horse’s eye positioned over a positive earth energy point and a time capsule from the time of installation buried deep beneath its heart, the Folkestone White Horse has come to symbolise the Folkestone area and Pentland Homes are proud to be associated with this local landmark.