A Shrewsbury church has won a national award for a £650,000 restoration project carried out over the past nine years.
The recognition has been given to St Alkmund’s Church by the Georgian Group.
Work involved has included a complete re-roofing, installation of solar panels, repair of three large windows made in the 1790s, and the restoration of the church’s main treasure – an 18th century hand painted window by Frances Eginham.
The Reverend Richard Hayes, resident priest at St Alkmund’s and James Wade of Arrol and Snell, the church’s architect, were presented with the award for Restoration of a Georgian Church by Baroness Andrews, chairman of English Heritage, at a ceremony at auctioneers Christies in London.
Reverend Hayes said it was wonderful news for the church and the town and although it had been a struggle getting there, it was worth it: “It was a major restoration project that began in 2001 and there’s still more to go but the worst is over. I’ve kept on telling the congregation that their difficulties and all we’ve had to put up with while the work’s been carried out have been worth it.
“The whole project cost £650,000 which was raised by donations and grants, as well as £400,000 from English Heritage.
“It’s a national award so lots of people will read about it and hopefully come and visit the town,” he added.
The Georgian Group is a national body founded in 1937 to safeguard Georgian architecture in the UK.
It has supported St Alkmund’s, built in 1795, throughout the restoration programme.
In 2005, St Alkmund’s won an award for excellence of restoration work from the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.
by Anna Williams