{"id":44351,"title":"Long Man. Cerne Giant. Which is Which?","description":"Two colossal chalk hill figures - the Long Man of Wilmington and the Cerne Abbas Giant. But which is which? Our handy guide explains the differences.","content":"

When it comes to large, enigmatic hill figures etched into the rolling green of England\u2019s countryside, few are as famous as the Long Man of Wilmington<\/strong> and the Cerne Abbas Giant<\/strong>. These two titanic figures have captivated the imaginations of scholars and tourists alike for centuries. But how do we tell the difference? While they may seem similar at first glance \u2014 being, after all, both colossal and chalky - they can be easily confused. But there are some important ways to tell them apart, and not just because one of them lacks a crucial anatomical feature.<\/p>

\"LongThe first and perhaps most obvious way to distinguish these two giants is by location. The Long Man of Wilmington resides on the South Downs in East Sussex, while the Cerne Abbas Giant is located near the village of Cerne Abbas in Dorset.<\/p>

\"MapSo, if you find yourself standing on the South Downs, basking in the gentle sunshine, and you notice a large figure stretching across the hillside, there\u2019s a high probability you\u2019ve encountered the Long Man. Should you be in Dorset, surrounded by the rolling hills of the West Country and a completely different set of village pubs, you\u2019ll likely be facing the Cerne Abbas Giant.<\/p>

The posture of the two figures provides another helpful hint. The Long Man of Wilmington is famously depicted with his arms raised slightly as he holds two staves, one in each hand. The Cerne Giant wields a large knotted club with his right hand, and keeps his left hand free for other business.<\/p>

Next, we come to actual size. The Long Man of Wilmington is 235 feet tall, while the Cerne Abbas Giant is 180 feet tall, so the Long Man is indeed slightly \u2018longer\u2019.<\/p>

Finally, and possibly the easiest way to tell them apart is to take a quick browse around their nether regions. The Long Man is completely smooth down there, rather like an old Action Man without his trousers on. However, as the more keen-eyed viewer will notice almost immediately, the Cerne Abbas Giant has got his Johnson on show.<\/p>

The Long Man did have a phallus added (briefly) when he was vandalised in 2010, but generally speaking it's the Cerne Abbas Giant<\/strong> that is standing to attention.<\/p>

\"Cerne<\/u>Cerne Abbas Giant T-Shirt<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>","urlTitle":"long-man-cerne-giant-which-is-which","url":"\/blog\/long-man-cerne-giant-which-is-which\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/long-man-cerne-giant-which-is-which\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/eldonthreads.com\/blog\/long-man-cerne-giant-which-is-which\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1732278645,"updatedAt":1774448170,"publishedAt":1774448169,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":353639,"name":"Eldon Threads"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/1ly1hvky5s3lejslrct9kzfl0ynw4ja2yansphqdjzu0g9lm.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/1ly1hvky5s3lejslrct9kzfl0ynw4ja2yansphqdjzu0g9lm.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/1ly1hvky5s3lejslrct9kzfl0ynw4ja2yansphqdjzu0g9lm.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"Long Man. Cerne Giant. Which is Which?","metaDescription":"Two colossal chalk hill figures - the Long Man of Wilmington and the Cerne Abbas Giant. But which is which? Our handy guide explains the differences.","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":54201,"title":"King Sam of Kent and the Pentagram Horse","url":"\/blog\/king-sam-of-kent-and-the-pentagram-horse\/","urlTitle":"king-sam-of-kent-and-the-pentagram-horse","division":353639,"description":"A golden coin with a celtic horse design and druidic pentagram associated with the little known King Sam of Kent - one of the few British kings whose existence is known almost entirely through coinage. He ruled in Kent, among the Cantiaci (Cantii), sometime around the late 1st century BC to early 1st century AD, in the period between Caesar\u2019s expeditions to Britain and the Roman conquest of AD 43.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/e0yjtxfshvmtlvwboviq7qpz0unzwa7sgh1zlrhswiddaak8.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.2&fx=0.50968258257114&fy=0.42004365775335","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/e0yjtxfshvmtlvwboviq7qpz0unzwa7sgh1zlrhswiddaak8.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.2&fx=0.50968258257114&fy=0.42004365775335"},"hidden":0},{"id":51219,"title":"Callanish Stones: Ancient Mystery on the Isle of Lewis","url":"\/blog\/callanish-stones-ancient-mystery-on-the-isle-of-lewis\/","urlTitle":"callanish-stones-ancient-mystery-on-the-isle-of-lewis","division":353639,"description":"Discover the story of the Callanish Stones, a Neolithic stone circle older than Stonehenge, set against the wild beauty of the Isle of Lewis. Legends, alignments, and enduring mystery \u2014 told in the Eldon Threads style.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/mlngmgmzyppqzzum1dvyy2jqmqwzakjz60onpef9co4ah4an.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/mlngmgmzyppqzzum1dvyy2jqmqwzakjz60onpef9co4ah4an.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":41246,"title":"10 Things You Need To Know About The Cerne Abbas Giant","url":"\/blog\/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-cerne-abbas-giant\/","urlTitle":"10-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-cerne-abbas-giant","division":353639,"description":"What is the Cerne Abbas Giant?The Cerne Abbas Giant (or The Cerne Giant) is perhaps England's most striking and iconic hill figure, and certainly one of the best known. It is a huge figure depicting a naked man with a prominent erection, sometimes earning him the nickname 'The Rude Man'. He is carved into the steep, west-facing side of Giant Hill (also known as Trendle Hill) just outside the small village of Cerne Abbas in Dorset","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/vuhijh7vhdepga0qc8eaqcgd2jvqezlidv0vh5fqbyo5lpvy.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.2&fx=0.4891875502532&fy=0.479728304568","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/vuhijh7vhdepga0qc8eaqcgd2jvqezlidv0vh5fqbyo5lpvy.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.2&fx=0.4891875502532&fy=0.479728304568"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}