I've been reading through the Hereford Times this week - and I'm confused.
Here we have the news that work has started on building a new archive building for the county. It will be modern, and eco-friendly, using the Passivhous system to save lots of money on heating bills. It is costing £8.1 million pounds and it is hoped that having the archives in the new building will encourage local historians and schools to use it. Isn't this wonderful?
Also in the news this week is the cache of Roman coins found in a farmer's field near Kington, by members of the Hereford Metal Detecting Club, while at Dinedor an archaeological dig is taking place on Garrison Meadow by the community archaeologist for the county and Dinedor Heritage Group.
Can this be the same county that is planning to close all its museums and dispense with the services of a County Archaeologist?
Reading a little further reveals that the County Council would be responsible for paying for the archives wherever they were housed - but they haven't decided what to do with the present archive building, a former army barracks, yet. A letter to the paper states that it's not only the County Archaeologist whose job is at risk - the Council wants to cut six posts from the department. And someone else wants to know what happened to the Hereford trow, the boat that was built to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and was rowed along the Thames in that vast flotilla of boats, which could surely be used as a tourist attraction in Hereford?
So, on the one hand, a new, state of the art, building to house the County's archives, along with archaeological discoveries being made throughout the county, and on the other hand the Council cutting back those very same services.
So, does anyone know what they're doing up at Herefordshire County Council offices, or is every department in a similar state of confusion?
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