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| Strichen's new White Horse - unmissable when following the F&B Way through Strichen
There are several theories about
the origin of the prominent white horse on the hill above Strichen. The most popular is that it was created at
the behest of Captain Fraser, Lord Lovat of Strichen, on his return from
serving in the King's Dragoon Guards during the French Revolutionary Wars. During the battle against the French at
Glize in Holland on 26th August 1794, Captain Fraser had his horse shot from
beneath him. Immediately this happened Sergeant James Hutcheon, a crofter’s son from New Pitsligo, gave his
horse to Captain Fraser saying that he could easily find a mount for himself
from amongst the rider less horses. Unfortunately, the Sergeant was killed
before he could find a new horse. Slightly different version of the story has
the offer to give up his horse being made by a Sergeant Henderson. It is
thought that Captain Fraser had seen the Uffington white horse and was inspired
by this to have the Mormond Horse cut as a memorial to the sergeant. A brass plaque removed from Mormond Church,
now in Strichen Library commemorates Sergeant Hutcheon. Alternative theories
are that the horse was a war memorial cut by the Strichen estate tenants around
1820 or that it commemorates the visit of Dr Johnson to Strichen House in 1770
or, less feasibly, that it commemorates Lord Strichen driving a carriage and
pair over the hill. The horse was
covered in turf during World War 2 to prevent it being used as a landmark by
enemy aircraft but is regularly cleaned and maintained by volunteers from Strichen.
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