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For hundreds of years, the Cerne Abbas Giant has stood as a striking landmark near the village of Cerne Abbas in Dorset. This 55-metre figure, etched into a chalk hillside, depicts a naked man wielding a club and is among the most instantly recognizable historic symbols in the UK. However, recent shifts in weather have posed new challenges to maintaining the Giant’s bold white outline.
The National Trust, which has managed the site since 1920, reports that the increasing frequency of heavy winter rains is washing away the chalk faster than before. Additionally, milder, wetter conditions promote the growth of algae on the figure, which leads to a “dulling effect” on its distinctive pale appearance, according to Luke Dawson, a ranger responsible for the site. As a result, the once crisp lines of the Giant have become less vivid between routine maintenance efforts.
Traditionally, the National Trust and its volunteers refresh the chalk on the Giant about once every ten years, a labor-intensive process that has changed little over the centuries. Older chalk is carefully removed before fresh chalk is packed into the outline by hand. Between these major upkeep intervals, sheep are used to graze the grass and keep it from obscuring the figure. Yet, the combination of wetter winters and dry summer spells has affected the speed of grass regrowth, leaving chalk edges more susceptible to erosion. This season, the Giant has required attention after just seven years, signaling that future maintenance may need to occur more frequently to preserve its defining features.
The broader context for these changes involves ongoing shifts in climate patterns. The world’s average temperature is now about 1.4°C higher than in pre-industrial times, mainly due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. In the UK, this has translated into warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers—a pattern expected to continue, according to the Met Office. Earlier this week, the Met Office released a report warning that there is an almost 90% chance the world will experience a new record temperature within the next five years. In response to these evolving conditions, the National Trust is adapting its conservation approach to ensure the Cerne Abbas Giant remains visible and well-preserved for generations to come
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