Wall which cost £12k to repair

AIR project manager, Brian Relph, explained the importance of preserving the pound, which was used to contain stray animals and prevent them from damaging crops. It has been rebuilt and restored to its former glory by an historic brickwork specialist.

He said: "The pound needed to be saved for the benefit of future generations. The project will enhance the Thorpe Conservation Area and improve the environmental setting and raise awareness of the historical significance of the pound."

Egham-by-Runnymede Historical Society supported the restoration project, completed last month, and vice-chairwoman, Jill Williams, said it had been long overdue.

She added: "The pound was hit by a car some 15 to 20 years ago and we have been wanting to repair it since then, but didn't have the money.

"We're really pleased it has happened now; it does show if you stick to something, you can achieve it. It's a great credit to the organisations that funded it and the people who rebuilt it so beautifully."

Situated in Coldharbour Lane at the eastern entrance to the village, the pound had become so overgrown with ivy it was barely visible.

When a pinch-point alongside the pound was installed in the road as a traffic-calming measure in 2006, the foliage was removed from the pound too, revealing the brickwork had suffered years of neglect.

The pound, which dates back to the mid-1840s, belonged to a farm on the other side of the wall and is believed to have replaced an older pound.

A commemorative plaque will be erected next month in recognition of the restoration.

Tell us your views. Are you pleased to see the wall restored? Is it an important part of local heritage or a waste of money?