The major renovation project at Warwick's St Mary's Church has received a major architecture award.

The £1.8 million scheme was completed earlier this year after months of work at the 900-year-old church.

And now the project and its architect Mark Stewart have won a prize for the best 'Restoration of a Georgian Church' at the annual Architectural Awards run by The Georgian Group.

Describing the works at St Mary's, the awards website explained: "Following a series of stone falls in 2021, Warwick District Council served a dangerous structures notice on the church which put up an emergency scaffold until the necessary £1.8m could be raised. 

"The failure of the triassic sandstone was investigated, deeply bedded vegetation was removed, construction defects corrected and stone replaced where necessary. 

"All cement mortar was also replaced in favour of hot lime. 

"Finally the surrounds to the clock dial were replaced in stone, the heraldic shields and carved, pointing hands or 'manicules' conserved and the weather vanes repaired and re-gilded. 

"The work was designed by the conservation architect Mark Stewart and the contractor was Ackroyd Construction."

The awards - now in their 20th year - were announced at the start of October and are said to "recognise exemplary conservation and restoration projects in the UK and reward those who have shown the vision and commitment to restore Georgian buildings and landscapes". 

The awards ceremony was presented by Dr John Goodall, chair of the judging panel and Architectural Editor at Country Life, with certificates handed out by the Georgian Group's Chairman, Paul Zisman.

Find out more about the St Mary's restoration project here.