3 hours ago
7
It feels like a very British monument: a huge chalk figure carved into a steep Dorset hillside that for centuries has intrigued lovers of English folklore and legend. But an appeal to raise money to help protect the Cerne giant – and the wildlife that shares the landscape it towers over – has shown that its allure stretches far beyond the UK.
Donations have flooded in from more than 20 countries including Australia, Japan and Iceland, and on Tuesday, the National Trust confirmed it had reached its fundraising target to buy land around the giant.
The money will be used to improve access to the 55-metre (180ft) figure and to link up a patchwork of habitats, improving conditions for species such as the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
It will also enable further archaeological work to help solve the enduring mystery of whom the giant depicts, and when and why it was created.
“I think it’s really impressive and heartening that so many people have contributed,” said Luke Dawson, the National Trust’s lead ranger for west Dorset and Cranborne Chase. “The giant is a bit of a folk icon and brings in interest from all spheres. It has that mystical quality that piques a lot of people’s interest.”
When the Guardian visited, the giant was at one moment wreathed in wispy cloud and at another brightly lit by shafts of sunshine, turning its face an eerie shade of green.
Theories about the figure’s identity and origins have ranged from it depicting a Celtic god or it being an ancient fertility symbol, or even a more recent lampoon of Oliver Cromwell. In 2021, National Trust archaeologists concluded that the giant was probably carved between AD700 and AD1100.
The hillside, however, is not just about the giant. Dawson pointed out a rectangular earthwork enclosure above the figure, known as the Trendle, which is believed to date to the iron age. It is still used by local morris dancers for May Day celebrations.
He also drew attention to what is believed to be a crumbling lime kiln on the hill, a reminder of how the material was used by early civilisations in building work. “We found out a bit more about the figure in 2021 but hopefully now we will be able to help turn the page in the story,” said Dawson. “There’s lots more to discover.”
Steve Timms, an archaeologist, said acquiring the land would provide an opportunity for exploration at a larger scale. “It will answer questions about the development of settlement and ritual activity over the area over several millennia.”
The hill on which the giant stands was given to the National Trust in 1920, but concerns were raised last year when 138 hectares (341 acres) of surrounding land was put on the market. People who lived nearby and rights-of-way campaigners feared the area could be developed or that access to the hillside lost.
The trust stepped in, using money from its own funds, grants and bequests to cover £2.2m of the asking price. It then launched a public appeal to raise a further £330,000, reaching the target in only 60 days. Donations ranged from £1 to more than £30,000.
As well as providing a setting for the giant, the hill is home to 36 butterfly species, including the endangered Duke of Burgundy butterfly, which has very specific needs, thriving only in taller, moister grass and laying its eggs on certain plants.
The area is also a habitat for hazel glove fungus, typically found only in temperate rainforests of western England.
In early summer, the giant will be re-chalked with the help of 10 appeal donors, who will join staff and volunteers to pack 17 tonnes of chalk into the giant’s outline, keeping weeds at bay and ensuring the figure remains visible for miles around for years to come.
The appeal – backed by another national treasure, Sir Stephen Fry – will remain open for anyone wishing to contribute to the care of the giant and the butterflies.
Sian Wilkinson, the head of public fundraising at the National Trust, said: “We can now start creating a nature haven around the giant, the next chapter in his long history. This appeal shows we can do bold things when people come together.”
