I assume that David Parry’s provocative letter advocating the knocking down of the delightfully informal, unpretentious statue of Elgar and replacing it with a statue of Alfred Watkins was written tongue in cheek (Letters, October 26).

If he had suggested the same treatment for the pompous statue in Worcester of Elgar in his doctoral robes I might have been more sympathetic!

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We only have two great creative figures associated with Hereford, Thomas Traherne and Edward Elgar. Many of us shamefully ignore the former, but let us at least acknowledge the genius of one of them.

When Elgar was living in Hereford between 1904 and 1911, he was at the height of his powers, producing such fine pieces as his two symphonies, the Violin Concerto and The Kingdom. Why would we not want to celebrate someone of European stature who lived and worked in Hereford?

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As for his not often returning to Hereford, the last concerts that he ever conducted were performances here in Hereford.

Watkins’ vague theory of ley lines hardly compares with these masterpieces; and if Mr Parry wants something a little more popular, think how we would all miss another piece written in Hereford if it weren’t played on the last night of the Proms, the Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4.

By all means let Mr Parry bestir himself to raise funds for his statue of Alfred Watkins, but let him find somewhere else to put it!

RICHARD WILLMOTT

Hereford