The restoration of Becket's Chapel, one of the architectural jewels in Wymondham’s historic town centre, was recognised last week at the 2025 Civic Trust Awards in Manchester.

The magnificent Grade 1 listed building, parts of which date back to the 12th century, scooped an AABC Conservation Award for the exceptional standards of its recent restoration work.

After many years of neglect, the building had been in a very poor state of repair and was on Historic England's risk register. In September 2022, local charity Historic Norfolk purchased the chapel to save it from dereliction and carried out a major programme of restoration and repair. This was thanks to grant funding from Historic England, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Norwich Freemen’s Charity, The Pilgrim Trust, The Headley Trust and the Geoffrey Watling Charity. This is the first phase of a two-stage development on Becket’s Chapel by Historic Norfolk.

The Chapel was named as one of just four national winners in this category for projects which demonstrate the highest standards of historic building conservation, and which make an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the built environment. The judges said, “In preserving Becket’s Chapel, this initiative showcases how conservation can harmonise tradition and modernity, ensuring that historic buildings continue to enrich the community for generations to come.”

Judith Harwood, Chair of Historic Norfolk, said, “This accolade is a fantastic achievement for our relatively modest project sitting alongside such monumental entries as the Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) and Westminster Hall. It is a particular tribute to the work of our architect, Patricia Forero, her professional team, our partnership with Historic England, and our trustees. None of this would have been possible without the initial and sustained support of the Architectural Heritage Fund which provided project viability, development and capital funding over many years.”