Our Esher Award was presented to sculptor, conservator and artist Rory Young at the SPAB Heritage Awards ceremony. Over a long career, Rory has worked on some of the country's most famous buildings, including the west doorway at York Minster and creating seven new stone martyrs for St Albans Cathedral. Rory has been a loyal supporter of the SPAB for decades, hosting generations of Scholars and Fellows. Rory said: “Being part of the continuum of repair and renewal in a building’s life has been humbling, inspiring and a privilege.”
Esher Award
Esher Award
The Esher Award commemorates the late Viscount Esher GBE, Hon FRIBA who was Chairman of the SPAB from 1932-1960. It is not presented each year, but is given when deserved to those who, on purely altruistic grounds, have furthered the cause of building conservation and the work of the Society.
Past Winners
2022 Recipient: Rory Young
2021 Recipient: Charles Wagner
The award was given to recognise Charles' contribution to heritage and planning over decades. His long connection with the SPAB goes back to 1980, when he was the first engineer to undertake the Scholarship, our annual training scheme previously open only to architects and surveyors. He has served on various SPAB committees and most recently as Co-Chair and then as Vice-Chair of the SPAB until December 2021. For many years Charles was Head of Planning and Urban Advice at English Heritage; he now runs his own historic buildings consultancy. Charles has held numerous important voluntary...
2019 Recipient: Catherine Cullis
Catherine Cullis MBE was formerly Director of the Churches Conservation Trust and past SPAB Churches and Cathedrals Officer. As instigator of the SPAB’s Faith in Maintenance project, which provided training for volunteers caring for faith buildings across the country, as a member of Chichester Diocesan Advisory Committee and as a Guardian on the SPAB Casework Committee, Catherine has been a tireless advocate for the relevance and care of places of worship, building conservation and the work of the SPAB.
2018 Recipient: John Sell
The Esher Award was presented to architect and cultural campaigner John Sell at the 2018 SPAB Members' Weekend in Bristol. A former Chairman and a Guardian of the SPAB, for more than 40 years John has worked on a wide range of historic buildings in the UK and Europe. He is executive vice-president (UK) of Europa Nostra, the voice of cultural heritage in Europe, bringing together all the national non-governmental bodies concerned with the historic environment. John also chairs the Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies.
2017 Recipient: Stafford Holmes
In 2017, Stafford Holmes received the Esher Award. Stafford has given decades of support to the SPAB and the world of building conservation as an architect specialising in the study and application of building limes, and traditional building materials. Stafford has lent his expertise as a host to the Scholars and Fellows programmes, as a member of the SPAB technical panel, with the Building Limes Forum and Rodney Melville & Partners. He has spent countless hours building kilns, slaking lime and educating others through seminal books and research.
