Wreckers in town
Sir: I was horrified to read Barbara Maude's article about the impending destruction of Chipping Norton (7 February). We now look back in horror at the Victorians (both as constructors and destructors) and say, 'How could they have done it?' I suggest that oar grandchildren will be saying the same thing about us. The ultimate aim should be to by-pass all towns, both from the motorists' point of view and the inhabitants'. Not only single beautiful buildings should be preserved—whole streets and towns should be preserved, and, if it is totally impractical to use the interiors, then at least the facades should be kept, as has been attempted, with some success, at Chester.
As Barbara Maude says, no American is going to visit Britain to look at miniature reproductions of what he has at home. And how infinitely depressing it will be when the same architecture appears in every country from America to India.
Prudence Bellak Cheswardine, nr. Market Drayton, Shropshire
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