Tavistock’s Catholic church has won a prestigious award for the restoration of its bell tower which towers over the Tavistock.

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) has given its prestigious John Betjeman award to the Grade II listed Church of Our Lady and St Mary Magdalene on Callington road.

The award celebrates excellence in the repair of places of worship of all denominations in England and Wales. The project brought together the parish, the Diocese of Plymouth’s property department, conservation specialists and contractors, supported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

In 2021, the West Devon church underwent extensive repairs to its 100-foot campanile, or bell tower, with a particular focus on the louvres at the top. In addition, a completely new belfry floor was constructed some 80 feet above the ground.

A grant of £386,564 from the government’s Covid-time Culture Recovery Fund (2020–22) to finance the repairs.

Welcoming the award, the Right Reverend Nicholas Hudson, Bishop of Plymouth, said: “A number of our historic churches have received generous grants administered by Historic England, with Our Lady and St Mary Magdalene in Tavistock among them. I’m delighted that the repair of this beautiful church has received national recognition through the prestigious John Betjeman Award. It is a proud moment for our diocese, as this is the first time that such an award has gone to a Catholic church in England and Wales.

“My sincere thanks go to all those involved, including the parish, the conservation surveyors, specialists and contractors, our Diocesan Property and Finance Departments, as well as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. Their collaborative work and support in safeguarding this much-loved place of worship for future generations is deeply appreciated.”

Sophie Andreae, vice chair of the CBCEW Patrimony Committee, said: “We are so delighted that the careful repair of this important and historic church has been recognised by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings by the award of the Betjeman Prize to conservation accredited surveyor, Philip Hughes. His attention to detail throughout this project to restore the spire combined with that of his team and the contractors involved has been exemplary.”

Our Lady and St Mary Magdalene, Tavistock, was built by the 8th Duke of Bedford in 1865–67 as an Anglican chapel of ease for workers - a second church for the parish - at the nearby copper mines. The duke’s architect was Henry Clutton who was employed by the Duke both in Devon and at Woburn.

In the early 20th century, the copper mines declined and between 1918–1936 the church was out of use. In the early 1950s, a local benefactor bought the church and it opened for Catholic worship in 1952. It is a major landmark on the hill on the edge of the town with the tower and spire visible for miles around.

Its tower and spire was in need of major work as internal doors had rotted, internal access was impossible and the leadwork on the louvres had decayed badly, requiring extensive replacement. An enormous amount of scaffolding was required, inevitably a major cost way beyond the means of the congregation.

The grant-aided work has seen the whole upper section of the tower and spire restored with stonework repaired and repointed, new timber replacing rotten elements, and new leadwork. Steeplejacks accessed the top of the spire to carry out essential repairs.