Caroe Architecture’s Beth Watson (left), together with Fr. Henry Everett (centre) and Lewis Proudfoot of Cliveden Conservation (right) with the winning entry for the King of Prussia Award.
Caroe Architecture’s Beth Watson, together with Fr. Henry Everett and Lewis Proudfoot of Cliveden Conservation have received the prestigious EASA/CCT King of Prussia Award for conservation works carried out for St Mary Magdalene Paddington at the 2018 Church Architecture Awards held on 1st November at St Mellitus College, London.
The annual King of Prussia Gold Medal award is granted to a scheme of innovative, high quality church conservation or repair that overcomes the greatest aesthetic or technical challenge.
Gifted by King Frederick William IV of Prussia (1795 – 1861) to the Incorporated Church Building Society in 1857, the prize has been awarded each year since the 1980s, with this year’s medal presented by Prince Nicholas von Preussen, a descendant of the Prussian royal family.
The Grade I listed St Mary Magdalene Church, Paddington, was designed by the acclaimed English architect G. E. Street in the 1860s-70s.
Caroe Architecture worked closely with Cliveden Conservation to carry out the restoration and specialist cleaning of the internal and external decoration. A key component of this work was the conservation cleaning of fine decorative painted ceilings in the Nave and Chancel, which were executed by a leading ecclesiastical artist of the day, Daniel Bell. The process has involved in-depth trials and analysis to establish conservation techniques to carefully remove the dirt and discoloured varnish, which until recently disfigured and concealed the full grandeur of these ceilings.
Caroe Architecture Ltd are the conservation architects working with Dow Jones Architects, who are leading on the new facilities being constructed for the Church. These include a learning space, cafe and cultural venue, which will be run by Paddington Development Trust. The conservation work forms a major part of the Church’s redevelopment alongside the new annexe.
The project is being supported by National Lottery players through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Caroe Architecture team wish to extend their most sincere congratulations to all those involved in making this scheme an award-winning success.
Read more about the 2018 Church Architecture Awards here: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/news/2018-church-architecture-award-winners?fbclid=IwAR1xgLnAQfbXiGGTrFe1K8htwBYwcXUEbjq9eHDzqx7q5Rppq1Y1atPC-Wc
