Strichen's new White Horse

 The railway bridge at the corner of Brewery Road has recently been graced with a splendid mural depicting the white horse on Mormand Hill. This is Strichen's third white horse, there is the White Horse pub in High Street and of course the White Horse Hill figure on Mormond Hill - the only white horse hill carving in Scotland. In the photograph below the iconic horse can just be made out on the hill at the end of Bridge Street.

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.