Pirton Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan
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Pirton Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan
Pirton Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan
Representation ID: 10289
Received: 21/08/2022
Respondent: Pirton History Group
This note has been prepared by Helen Hofton, chair of the Pirton History Group, following the public consultation meeting held in Pirton Village Hall in June 2022. After the meeting, informal discussions took place with Laura Johnson of North Herts Council about the importance of the Water Tower on Priors Hill as a symbol of the village and as a local landmark. Pirton people often say: “when you can see the Water Tower, you know you are home!”
As background, it is important to note that Pirton is a spring-line settlement. Running water was not piped into houses until 1936 and many houses relied on wells until the late 1940s. The Water Tower was built in 1936 to hold water, which was pumped from a spring at the bottom of Priors Hill.
After the Tower was built, the late local resident Walter Christmas, who lived at 6 Great Green, was employed by the Water Board to take recordings of water levels and to maintain the Tower and the grounds within which it stood. His grand daughter, Julie Writer, recalled recently how in the 1950’s she would accompany her grandfather to the Tower. He would climb the ladder to the top and shout down readings of water levels for her to record.
It is possible that this technique was learned from the military.
In the war years, the Tower had another function. It provided a look out towards Shillington to the West, across Bedfordshire to the North and towards Holwell, Hitchin and Stevenage to the East. However, views to the South and towards Luton were obscured by Highdown Hill. If enemy aircraft were sighted, then the information was shouted to the communication specialists on the ground to be relayed by telephone to (presumably) the Royal Observer Corps. There are no records to suggest that the look outs gave warning of the “Doodle Bug” that struck the village in 1944. Although several houses were seriously damaged, the Water Tower escaped intact.
Having spoken to many residents of Pirton – old and young -- it was found that, when asked to pick an icon to represent the village, the most popular by far was the Water Tower. It was not timber-framed houses, or the pubs, or the Church. One local artist made a print of the Tower (see attached) and it has been used as an illustration by the British Water Tower Appreciation Society.
Noting also that Hill Farm the adjoining property has now been included in the Conservation Area, the above sets out some of the reasons why the Water Tower should also be considered to be part of the Conservation Area.
This note has been prepared by Helen Hofton, chair of the Pirton History Group, following the public consultation meeting held in Pirton Village Hall in June 2022. After the meeting, informal discussions took place with Laura Johnson of North Herts Council about the importance of the Water Tower on Priors Hill as a symbol of the village and as a local landmark. Pirton people often say: “when you can see the Water Tower, you know you are home!”
As background, it is important to note that Pirton is a spring-line settlement. Running water was not piped into houses until 1936 and many houses relied on wells until the late 1940s. The Water Tower was built in 1936 to hold water, which was pumped from a spring at the bottom of Priors Hill.
After the Tower was built, the late local resident Walter Christmas, who lived at 6 Great Green, was employed by the Water Board to take recordings of water levels and to maintain the Tower and the grounds within which it stood. His grand daughter, Julie Writer, recalled recently how in the 1950’s she would accompany her grandfather to the Tower. He would climb the ladder to the top and shout down readings of water levels for her to record.
It is possible that this technique was learned from the military.
In the war years, the Tower had another function. It provided a look out towards Shillington to the West, across Bedfordshire to the North and towards Holwell, Hitchin and Stevenage to the East. However, views to the South and towards Luton were obscured by Highdown Hill. If enemy aircraft were sighted, then the information was shouted to the communication specialists on the ground to be relayed by telephone to (presumably) the Royal Observer Corps. There are no records to suggest that the look outs gave warning of the “Doodle Bug” that struck the village in 1944. Although several houses were seriously damaged, the Water Tower escaped intact.
Having spoken to many residents of Pirton – old and young -- it was found that, when asked to pick an icon to represent the village, the most popular by far was the Water Tower. It was not timber-framed houses, or the pubs, or the Church. One local artist made a print of the Tower (see attached) and it has been used as an illustration by the British Water Tower Appreciation Society.
Noting also that Hill Farm the adjoining property has now been included in the Conservation Area, the above sets out some of the reasons why the Water Tower should also be considered to be part of the Conservation Area.
