A FAMOUS attraction has been ‘ruined’ as tourists groan over the monument with a massive penis being left in the ‘worst state ever’.
Tourists are in an uproar after the iconic Cerne Abbas Giant, known for his enormous appendage, was left covered in overgrown grass, hiding his famous feature from sight.
The ancient chalk figure of a naked man, which has graced the Dorset countryside for centuries, is now barely visible.
The National Trust, which has maintained the site since 1920, blames an “exceptionally wet summer” for the overgrowth that has disappointed visitors from across the UK.
Frustrated tourists who flock to see the 180ft hillside giant have struggled to make out the chalk outline through the thick grass.
Calls are mounting for the National Trust to trim the giant back to his former glory.
This week, in an effort to tackle the unruly grass, a flock of sheep was released onto the protected hillside.
However, some visitors have expressed their dismay, suggesting this move has come too late.
Helen Corben, said: “Sad to see the ruin of the Cerne Abbas Giant today.”
Barry Howe, from Monmouth, said: “Worst I have ever seen it and I have passed it many times. There’s no attraction there.”
Maureen Lock added: “Surely it needs regular maintenance to keep it looking good. After all, it is one of Dorset’s famous landmarks.”
One online user, Jackie Willis, took to social media with a cheeky suggestion: “He just needs a bit of manscaping.”
Local resident Lisa Eaton echoed the sentiment, she told The Sun: “He just needs a tidy up.
“We saw him a few months ago and he didn’t look too bad, he probably just needs weeding.”
Not everyone is upset, though.
Neil Croton, another local, said: “It’s just the seasonal growth so I don’t see an issue.
“The site holds some nationally important flora and fauna such as the marsh fritillary butterfly. It has to be carefully managed for them, not just tourists and sightseers.”
A National Trust spokesperson explained the complexities of maintaining the giant: “Caring for the Giant, its archaeology, and the Site of Special Scientific Interest that surrounds him, is a complex task.
“Sheep have been returned to the Giant to help reduce the grass growth.
“Following grazing, our small ranger team will undertake annual maintenance – cleaning, weeding, and edging the Giant after grazing and ensuring this iconic landscape feature remains in peak condition.”
They added: “This year the exceptionally wet summer has boosted the grass growth and temporarily reduced visibility of the Giant.
Part of conserving the giant means leaving it alone as much as possible.
The chalk is replaced every decade or so, a process that takes days of work by National Trust rangers and volunteers. The more the ground is disturbed, the quicker the giant erodes.”
The Cerne Abbas Giant is a 55-metre (180 ft) hill figure near Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England, depicting a bald, nude male with a prominent erection and a large club.
Owned by the National Trust and listed as a scheduled monument, the figure is created from shallow trenches filled with chalk rubble. Its origins are unclear, with theories ranging from a Saxon deity to a Romano-British figure of Hercules.
The earliest record of the giant dates back to the late 17th century, but recent testing suggests it may have been created between 700 and 1110 CE.
Regardless of its exact age, the Cerne Abbas Giant is deeply embedded in local culture and folklore, often linked to fertility, and remains one of England’s most famous hill figures alongside the Long Man of Wilmington in East Sussex.
The giant was last re-chalked in 2019 to commemorate the National Trust’s 100-year ownership of the landmark.
Despite this, the giant has faced disappearing acts before, like during World War II when it was covered by brushwood to prevent the Luftwaffe from using it for navigation.
Adding fuel to the fire, a local cheese maker recently caused a stir by featuring the Cerne Abbas Giant on its packaging without his famous phallus.
The Oxford Cheese Company faced backlash for turning the world-famous chalk figure “non-binary” after censoring the label for one supermarket following a complaint.
Vic Irvine of Cerne Abbas Brewery said: “It’s clearly a binary giant who has a large phallus.
“It’s that simple. We love our giant here and defacing him like this is like throwing paint over Nelson’s Column. The whole thing makes me really cross, I’m incandescent with rage.”
While the Oxford Cheese Company insisted the full figure appears on most of its cheeses, locals remain outraged over any alteration to their beloved landmark.
Paul Watson from the company defended the decision, saying: “The original owner of the company chose that image because it is so memorable.”
With the Cerne Abbas Giant facing these controversies, it’s clear this legendary figure still knows how to stir up a storm centuries later.
Meanwhile, it’s not just Dorset visitors calling out unkempt sites.
A world heritage Site in Kent has been slammed as “unkempt” and “uncared for” by its residents.
The fed up residents claim their “paradise” has been ruined by drunk tourists and have shamed the “useless” council for failing to fix the issue.
Elsewhere, a community row erupts in Somerset with residents fuming over the “iconic” UK volcano.
locals living near what they call an “iconic volcano” say it’s about to be ruined by their bungling council.
