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All the United Kingdom England Wilmington The Long Man of Wilmington

The Long Man of Wilmington

This giant geoglyph of mysterious origins is now the site of neo-pagan rituals.

Wilmington, England

Added By
Kerry Wolfe
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The Long Man of Wilmington.   Steve Daniels/CC BY-SA 2.0
The Long Man of Wilmington.   Steve Daniels/CC BY-SA 2.0
The Long Man of Wilmington.   Steve Slater/CC BY 2.0
A view of the Long Man of Wilmington from the car park.   Cupcakekid/CC BY-SA 3.0
The Long Man of Wilmington.   Ian Lee/CC BY 2.0
The Long Man of Wilmington, modified as part of a prank.   Vanhammeruk/CC BY-SA 3.0
The Long Man of Wilmington   honeytea / Atlas Obscura User
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About

A mysterious 235-foot tall man clutching two staffs presides over the hills of East Sussex, England. His looming figure, etched into the earth, has perplexed people for centuries.

The geoglyph has revealed few of its secrets since it was first documented in the early 1700s. No one truly knows when the Long Man of Wilmington (once also referred to as the Green Man and the Wilmington Giant) first appeared, or why someone felt inclined to create him in the first place.

Archaeologists and historians originally believed the massive man had ancient origins. Some thought he was an Iron Age artwork, others proposed he was a symbol from a lost Neolithic astral religion, and still others believed he was a Romano-British relic.

A 2003 excavation disproved these ancient explanations and discovered the geoglyph has more recent origins, likely from sometime in the early 16th or 17th centuries. But this hasn’t stopped neo-pagans from proclaiming the hill figure is an ancient, sacred site.

They gather at the hill figure to perform pagan rituals throughout the year. On May Day, at dawn, the Long Man Morris Men perform a traditional dance at its base.

A 2007 stunt involving women who laid in the grass to give the geoglyph female characteristics like hair, hips, and breasts angered neo-Druids who felt the act dishonored the “ancient” artifact. It wasn’t the first time the hill figure received an anatomical addition. During the 2010 summer solstice, pranksters took it upon themselves to give the Long Man a rather long male appendage.

Related Tags

Geoglyphs Seen From Space Men Mystery Paganism

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Added By

Kerry Wolfe

Edited By

Steve 55, honeytea

  • Steve 55
  • honeytea

Published

November 27, 2017

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Sources
  • https://kiddieacademy.com/academies/stafford/programs/infant-daycare/
  • https://kiddieacademy.com/academies/stafford/programs/toddler-daycare-curriculum/
  • https://kiddieacademy.com/academies/stafford/programs/preschool-curriculum/
  • https://kiddieacademy.com/academies/stafford/programs/preschool-curriculum-2/
  • https://kiddieacademy.com/academies/stafford/programs/pre-kindergarten/
  • https://kiddieacademy.com/academies/stafford/programs/school-age-programs/
The Long Man of Wilmington
S Downs Way
Wilmington, England, BN26 5SW
United Kingdom
50.81006, 0.188044
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Wilmington 'Madonna'

Wilmington, England

miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wilmington

Wilmington

England

Places 2

Nearby Places

The Wilmington 'Madonna'

Wilmington, England

miles away

Lullington Church of the Good Shepherd

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The Birthplace of Banoffi Pie

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Wilmington

Wilmington

England

Places 2

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