Rotherwas Remembered Proposal
Although there is a lottery funded project recording the activities at the munitions works, and overseen by Hereford Archive and Records Centre, unfortunately plans for a super heritage centre at Rotherwas seem to be held up. HCS presents this possible solution.
This inspiration takes an uncommon view of our heritage at Rotherwas. Instead of the praise and admiration for the workers we hear so much about, sometimes we can forget this was a place making bombs - thousands of bombs that caused widespread death and injury. Rather than be proud of this work should we not be reflective of the futility of war and quietly and personally consider the ammunition store as a place for reflection.
The sheer size and span of the building is awesome and it is a wonder that it still stands. Refurbishment is not possible as engineering standards would quickly condemn the trusses spanning several hundred feet. Our proposal is to have a poppy red container adjacent to the store within which would be display boards explaining the history. At the end of the container there would be a door into this vast space. There would be no need to have the facility manned and there could be signage indicating entrance at own risk (there could be a few hard hats available). This could remain for decades as the trusses fail being a sad statement of the passing of time and a disreputable wreck.