A 200-year-old horse figure once admired by Charles Dickens, is towering once again over a village pub after a year-long restoration.

Originally the wooden white horse figure was displayed at The Great White Horse Hotel in Tavern Street, Ipswich. 

In 1964, the statue was relocated to the White Horse Inn in Tattinstone while the Ipswich hotel built a new statue.

The pub itself is a Grade II listed building, and started life in the early 17th century as Cobbold's Fine Ales and Stout.

After acquiring the white horse, which is Grade II listed on its own, the former coaching inn changed its name to match the statue. 

After six decades standing tall above the pub, it was felt the icon needed to be restored, including a fresh groom and reshoeing.

The project cost the pub £3,600 and was worked on by Steve Vince from West Mersea before being unveiled on Friday night.

The horse was unvielied to fans of the pub.The horse was unveiled to fans of the pub on Friday. (Image: White Horse Inn)

Mr Vince said the horse was iconic to this part of the country and that there is a need to preserve and maintain it.

"A white horse is the most important symbolic image for this part of the country", he said adding that Ipswich Town's crest was also a white horse.

The pub and the horse are both Grade II listed.The pub and the horse are both Grade II listed. (Image: Archant)

In history, the white horse was born out of plans to widen Tavern Street in the 19th century.

The Great White Horse Hotel was forced to remodel its structure and used this as an opportunity to build the horse and place it over its entrance.

The horse has been visited by several historical figures.The horse has been visited by several historical figures. (Image: White Horse Inn)

While in place at the historic hotel, the horse would have greeted many notable guests including The Beatles George II, Louis XVIII and Admiral Lord Nelson.

Famously, Charles Dickens even mentioned the horse in his debut novel Pickwick Papers, where he wrote: "In the main street of Ipswich, on the left-hand side of the way, a short distance after you have passed through the open space fronting the town hall, stands an inn known far and wide by the appellation of the 'Great White Horse,' rendered the more conspicuous by a stone statue of some rampacious animal with flowing mane and tail, distantly resembling an insane cart-horse, which is elevated above the principal door."