Dragons Hill – Where Saint George killed that dragon!

We’re nearing the end of my series of posts set on and around Whitehorse Hill and the Ridgeway.  It would be easy to think that surely there is nothing else to see within the short walk of the car park here but incredibly there is still more and if we have already visited the smith who forged King Arthur’s sword, Excalibur, then it is fitting that it is here where another pivotal if slightly far-fetched part of English history played out here, that being the location where our Saint George, killed the dragon.

It is a hillock more than a hill, around 450 feet or 139 metres in height but only at a relative height of around 90 feet or 30 metres from the immediate area.  Reaching it from the Whitehorse was actually much more tricky than I imagined it would with a rather treacherous path down a steep hillside and with a barbed wire fence just an arms length away all ready to rip your skin to shreds should you forgetfully reach out to grab it when slipping!  Little wonder why I was (again) the only person here!

Though it has been shaped by man, it is a naturally occurring chalk hill of a typeset particularly uncommon in these parts. What does make it special is the fact that Saint George killed the dragon here and the blood from the dragon flowed out onto the grass and poisoned the soil.  Ever since there has been no grass here and I have a photo to prove it!

Obviously this whole area is incredibly rich in history and mysticism and this hill itself is often home to pagan ceremonies. I find it fascinating that so much happened within a mile or so of each other all those thousands of years even if it is debatable how much of it was mythologised, it is a special place.

The wind comes up the valley in such gusts that a second after taking this photo my iPad flew out of my hands though its case protected it completely.  I also have a bad hair photo where I look like Cousin It from The Addams Family.  I made a mental note to not come here again until I either had a hair cut, wore a hat or there was no wind.