Vale of White Horse being removed to show the white chalky soil beneath. This figure gives name to the hill, the range and the Vale. It is 114 m (374 ft) long and highly stylised, the neck, body and tail varying little in width. The origin of the figure is unknown. Tradition asserted it to be the monument of a victory over the Danes by King Alfred, who was born at Wantage, but the site of the Battle of Ashdown (871 CE), has been variously located. Moreover, the figure has been dated to the Bronze Age, so it pre-dates the battle by many centuries.
Battle of Mared Battle of Mared Battle of Mared was a battle in the Nordic Seven Years' War between the Swedish and Danish forces on 9 November 1563. The battle was held on the site of present-day locality Oskarström in Sweden. After the outbreak of the war, a Swedish army under the command of Eric XIV marched into Halland. The goal was to besiege Halmstad, but it failed because of the lack of artillery. Since the Danish king Frederick II was on his way with reinforcements, the Swedes pulled back. But they were caught up in Mared, where they were defeated. The Danes