Is the White Horse really a Dragon?
Today is St George's Day, the patron saint of England, and in celebration I am posting up a picture of the actual place where he slew the dragon. Yes, Dragon Hill, near Uffington in Oxfordshire has been identified as the site of the dragon-slaying and as "proof " there is a patch of chalk on the top of the hill where the grass never grows because this was where the dragon's blood was spilt. You can see the patch in the photograph. It's a wonderful story and a fabulously atmospheric place. According to legend, St George was a Roman soldier who killed the dragon to save a princess. In this picture the dragon appears to be smaller than St George's horse, which isn't really a fair fight, and the setting doesn't bear much resemblance to Uffington but we must allow for artistic licence. Just above Dragon Hill is Uffington Castle, an Iron Age hillfort and on the side of the hill is one of the most famous chalk figures in the country, the Uffington White Hors...