Two Catholic churches win architecture awards

Modern extension at Clare Priory

Winners of the UK's main church architecture awards were announced yesterday. Among the runner-ups in the Presidents' Award were two Catholic churches: Our Lady of Lourdes, a new Roman Catholic church in Hungerford, Berkshire designed by Jeremy Bell Architects and a new extension to the 700 year-old church building of Clare Priory in Suffolk, designed by architects Inkpen Downie.

Nick Joyce Architects from Worcester was presented with the prestigious 2015 King Of Prussia Gold Medal for repair and conservation architecture for a project to repair the unique medieval timber framed tower of St Peter's church, Pirton, Worcestershire.

Two schemes were awarded runner-up places for that award: St Peter's church, East Drayton, Nottinghamshire, by Soul Architects for major structural repairs and re-roofing following an infestation of death watch beetle and St Martin's church, Gospel Oak, London, by Rees Bolter Architects for urgent repairs to the tower and the reinstatement of a colossal nine metre high corner tower that had been removed in about 1950.

The reinstatement of St Nicholas' church, in Radford Semele, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire by architects Caroe & Partners won the 2015 Presidents' Award for new church architecture. The church had been badly damaged in a fire. At the presentation the architects described how they had managed to conserve much of the medieval stonework and added features sympathetic to the original design.

Two schemes were awarded runner-up places were both Catholic: Our Lady of Lourdes, a new Roman Catholic church in Hungerford, Berkshire designed by Jeremy Bell Architects and a new extension to the 700 year-old church building of Clare Priory in Suffolk, designed by architects Inkpen Downie.

Judges for the awards were: Prince Nicholas von Preussen, HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO, Richard Carr-Archer - National Churches Trust, Simon Dyson - Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association, Eric Greber - Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association, Anna Joynt - Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association, Luke March - National Churches Trust, Mark Pearce - Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association, and Eddie Tulasiewicz - National Churches Trust.

Both awards attracted a large number of entries this year. Eighteen entries were received for the King of Prussia Gold Medal, the highest number for several years. Twenty five entries were received for the Presidents' Award, a record number, with eleven being shortlisted by the judging panel.

All shortlisted entries and further details can be found at: www.nationalchurchestrust.org/architectureawards