Sixteen local groups have been chosen to go forward to the finals of the English Heritage Angel Awards, supported by Andrew Lloyd Webber, in London on 31st October.
English Heritage experts met recently to sift carefully through more than 200 applications received since the competition was launched by Andrew Lloyd Webber in June. Looking for passion, perseverance and imagination as well as the scale of the challenge and how well it had been tackled, they came up with the following shortlist of four outstanding projects for each of the Angel award categories:
Best Rescue of a Place of Worship
· Church of St. Peter, Shackerstone, Leicestershire
· Roman Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd, Woodthorpe, Nottinghamshire
· St James Priory Church, Horsefair, Bristol ?The Former Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Best Rescue of an Industrial Building or Site
· Brunel Goods Shed, Stroud, Gloucestershire
· Colliery Winding Engine, Engine House and Backstays, Gedling, Nottinghamshire
· Pleasley Colliery, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
· North Leverton Windmill, Retford, Nottinghamshire
Best Rescue of Any Other Category on the English Heritage Heritage at Risk Register
· Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol
· The Ilam Cross, Ilam, Staffordshire
· St Stephen’s Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, London
· The Worthing Dome Cinema, West Sussex
Best Craftsmanship Employed on a Heritage Rescue
· Remains of Guesten Hall, Worcester, Worcestershire
· The Smythe Barn at Westenhanger, Hythe, Kent
· Tyntesfield Orangery, Somerset
· Woodchester Mansion, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
The shortlisted candidates have all been informed and invited to attend a glittering award ceremony at the Palace Theatre in London’s West End which will be hosted by TV Presenter, Clare Balding. She said: ‘I was thrilled when Andrew asked me to present the inaugural Heritage Angels Awards. Having grown up in a racing yard that was built in 1879, I have a strong appreciation for buildings that combine heritage and practical use. Through working on ‘Britain’s Hidden Heritage’ for BBC1, I have seen the hard work and thoughtfulness that goes into restoring a building while retaining its essential magic. I am delighted to be involved in recognising those who have breathed new life into all sorts of historic sites and hope that it will encourage others to do the same.’
The candidates will meet Andrew Lloyd Webber and the other judges at a private reception at the theatre before the awards ceremony itself takes place in front of an audience of celebrities and heritage supporters.
The judges, whose task is to whittle the shortlist of 16 down to just one winner in each of the four categories, are Andrew Lloyd Webber, Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, Charles Moore of the Telegraph, historian Bettany Hughes and the Bishop of London, the Right Revd Richard Chartres. The winners will be announced on stage at the awards ceremony.
The Telegraph is the media partner for the English Heritage Angel Awards and BBC 2’s Culture Show is making a series of films about the shortlisted candidates to be screened each Thursday evening from 29 September. Highlights from the awards ceremony will feature on the Culture Show on Thursday 3 November.
The English Heritage Angel Awards are co-funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation (www.andrewlloydwebberfoundation.com).
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