One of the country’s most mysterious works of art is undergoing a once-in-a-decade renovation.
17 tons of chalk have been dumped into the giant Cerne Abbas, whose origin remains a mystery.
Work to keep the chalk bright and visible happens every seven to 10 years, but JOBS is starting at the beginning of this year because of climate change and changing WEATHER models.
of Dorset benchmark has been under National Trust ownership for more than a century, and every decade, dozens of their employees and volunteers spend about 300 hours renovating the 55-foot tall chalk sketch.
Luke Dawson, lead ranger at the National Trust’s West Dorset & Cranborne Chase Area of Natural Beauty, said: “We want to keep it on top of it because we’re seeing it start to grow a lot more and fade, and it’s something that people have traveled from all over the country to come and see, and even the world in some cases.”
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The lengthy renovation begins with cattle grazing on Giant Hill, which removes the surrounding grass and allows the figure to remain visible.
The previous layer of chalk is then removed, with sharp outlines carved by the rangers and their team using shovels, followed by re-surfacing.
The steep hillside, sloping to a slope of about one in three, is susceptible to erosion and requires the chalk to be tightly packed by hand to avoid water damage, weeds and algae from forming.
In previous years, the re-seeding process would normally take place in September, but it has started earlier due to changes in weather patterns.
In 2019, just days after the fresh foam was laid, intense rain washed it away.
Mr Dawson added: ‘The erosion was partly due to that September MIS. With algae, it’s what we just can’t predict.
“If this algae isn’t killed over the winter, coupled with the fact that we’re having wetter summers, it just encourages algae growth in wet conditions.”
With wetter conditions, instead of a bright white outline, visitors would see a dull grey-green slime.
The National Trust this year decided to carry out the work in May and try a new technique, which consists of mixing foam with water to create a plaster of Paris consistency, before spreading it.
The origin of the figure is unknown and continues to fuel debate. While local records record its existence only in the 17th century, in 2021, carbon dating analysis confirmed its existence around 700-1100 AD.
Scott Welland, visitor, operations and experience manager at the National Trust in West Dorset, said: ‘One theory is that during that period, the grass grew back.
So maybe during that period he disappeared and nobody knew he was there until the 1600s. But we still don’t know why he’s there and why they made him, and that’s a mystery.’
The figure and its wildlife recently entered a new chapter, as the National Trust secured ownership of more than 130 hectares of land around the Giant just a few months ago.
Complaint, supported by Sir Stephen Fryreached its £330,000 target in just 60 days and will now ensure the protection of species such as the Duke of Burgundy butterfly at the site of special scientific interest.
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