Bim Afolami MP Visits Iron Age site in Hexton to champion local heritage

Hitchin's Member of Parliament Bim Afolami joined representatives from Historic England and Natural England at Ravensburgh Castle – an Iron Age hillfort near the village of Hexton in his constituency – on a recent visit to discuss the impact of Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status on heritage sites.

Ravensburgh Castle sits inside the current boundaries of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Mr Afolami has been running a long-standing campaign to expand the AONB, making the case that the vast majority of North Hertfordshire within his Hitchin and Harpenden constituency should be included in an enlarged Chilterns area.

During his visit, Mr Afolami discussed the benefits that expanding the AONB could have for heritage sites in his constituency which sit outside the current boundaries.

The Hitchin MP said: "Ravensburgh Castle is a fantastic heritage site in our constituency – and we have so many others like it that sit outside the current area of the Chilterns AONB.

"That's why it is so important that we expand that AONB, so that we can strengthen the protections that all of our historic landscapes and sites have and protect them for generations to come."