Bowl Barrow information board unveiled

A Bronze Age burial mound at Hertford's Pinehurst Estate has been given a new feature - a sign interpreting its history, and, thanks to a local artist, an illustration of how it would have originally appeared.

The project to erect this information board was led by Kingsmead Residents Association in partnership with East Herts Archaeological Society and used a funding grant from the Localities budget provided to Kingsmead councillor, Ben Crystall, by Hertfordshire County Council.

The 2000 year-old barrow was a focal point in the landscape and was probably originally white from the chalk. Clearly visible from the Bronze Age huts that were built on what is now Foxholes Business Park and Caxton Hill, it would have commanded the landscape and would have been a prominent feature observable from Ermine Street, the Roman road that passed from Hertford Heath to Rush Green roundabout and eventually to York or London as well as the valley below. The barrow has not been excavated and is considered by Historic England 'as being of national significance on account of its high evidential value, surviving as an earthwork and containing archaeological and environmental evidence relating both to the monument and to the landscape in which it was constructed'.

While the barrow was mostly preserved during the construction of housing and infrastructure on Pinehurst in the 1970s there are some threats to its preservation including illegal vehicle parking and plans to dig up part of the barrow to provide official car parking spaces. East Herts Council graciously granted permission to install the sign in the second position approved by Historic England. 

The installation of an information board for the barrow was first proposed in the Kingsmead Neighbourhood Plan at the request of several local residents. Kingsmead Residents Association has been delighted to work closely with Dr Anne Rowe of East Herts Archaeological Society who has researched the history of the barrow and Kingsmead area. Records from Hertfordshire County Council relating to history of the barrow and in particular use as a beacon site to warn of the Spanish Armada supported this research.

Ben Crystall, HCC County Councillor said: "This board will help Pinehurst residents to appreciate the amazing history that lies almost literally beneath their feet, I want to thank Kingsmead Residents Association and Dr Anne Rowe, President of East Herts Archaeological Society for their efforts to bring this project to fruition."

Vicky Glover-Ward, Chair of KRA said: "I'm so pleased that we have worked as a community to bring this project to such a successful conclusion and I would like to thank everyone involved, but particularly our illustrator James Robinson and Dr Anne Rowe. There are over 70 actions on the KNP Plan and KRA are pleased to deliver this as a first action with many more to come."

Present at the small ceremony were Vicky Glover-Ward (Chair Kinsmead Residents' Asociation), Karen Johns (KRA), Dr Anne Rowe (East Herts Archaeological Society), James Robinson (illustrator), Cllr Ben Crystall (Herts County Council), Cllr Andrew Porrer (Hertford Town Council), Cllr Rosemary Bolton (East Herts and Hertford Town Council), Baz Johns (local resident), Paul Davison (local resident) and Charlie Rowe (Dr Rowe’s husband).