We recently praised plans for a new Heritage Trail in Didcot. Well, its appears that we were too quick off the mark, and all is not quite what it seems when it comes to preserving Didcot’s heritage.
According to a report on the BBC web site, planning permission has been granted for a new road which will cut through the site of a Bronze Age pond barrow – one of the features to be included in the planned trail. A spokeperson for the developers Taylor Wimpey said that “archaeology has already been cleared from the area”, with no apparent understanding that the site itself may have significance whether the archaeology is removed or not – and how exactly do you ‘remove’ a pond barrow? Where has it been removed to? For ‘cleared’, should we read ‘destroyed’?
Local campaigner Karen Waggot pointed out the hypocrisy of the developers, stating “Just a few weeks after saying they support the history trail, developers are building over historic sites”. Campaigners and a local District Councillor are hoping that revised plans may be submitted by the developers, providing a green space to indicate the barrow’s l;ocation, but given that permission for the road has already been granted, it seems these hopes are somewhat slim.
Concerning the proposed Heritage Trail, Taylor Wimpey said “The artefacts and records from the site are now being analysed. When this process is completed a synopsis of the results will be displayed on an information board… which will form part of a history trail for the benefit of the whole community.”
Sadly, we doubt that a board which effectively says ‘look what we ripped up and took away!’ is going be of much benefit to future generations…
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08/05/2014 at 08:52
calmgrove
I always feel diffident about ‘liking’ these posts — after all nobody in their right minds likes this kind of news — but it’s yet another reminder that we always need to be vigilant against Ignorance, especially in its cynical aspect of Wilful Ignorance. Depressing, especially when you feel the issue slipping out of any rational control.
08/05/2014 at 09:05
Claire Truman
Reblogged this on Progressive Heritage and commented:
This unfortunate scenario shows how heritage gets sidelined and once destroyed authenticity and raison d’être are left bereft and unretrievable. Outrageous that no one party to the plans saw the ‘bigger picture’ – why educate for poor decisions to be made?