PROJECTS at Salisbury Cathedral and the city's St Thomas's Church have been recognised with conservation awards.

New statues adorning the cathedral's west front and a new kitchenette and better access to the vestry at St Thomas's are among three winners of awards in the Salisbury Civic Society Conservation Awards Scheme 2004.

The third winner is a scheme at 18 & 19 Kingsbury Square, Wilton, where cleaning and repairs have been carried out to stonework.

The awards were made on Thursday night last week, at the Civic Society's New Year Party at Salisbury Guildhall.

Two other projects - an extension to Goose Green Cottage at Broad Chalke and an enhancement of the stable yard and chapel at Donhead Hall, Donhead St Mary - received commendations.

The 2004 awards scheme covered work done to existing buildings during the two years up to last October. Chairman of the judging panel was author Terry Prachett, who was guest of honour at last week's presentation ceremony.

The statues on the cathedral's west front include two new angels high in the western gable, flanking the central figure of Christ in Majesty, which the judges said were beautifully done.

But they said it was the other two figures lower down - of St Aldhelm, the late-Seventh Century abbot of Malmesbury, and George Herbert, a 17th Century rector of Bemerton - that really captured their attention.

Commenting on the cathedral project, the judges said: "The figures were designed and carved by Jason Battle. He deserves congratulation - as do the dean and chapter, who commissioned the angels, and the Friends of the Cathedral, who commissioned the other two statues."

The work at St Thomas's Church consists of a new kitchenette and better access to the vestry via two sets of ramps with slender metal handrails.

The kitchenette, furnished in oak, was innovative and eye-catching, while at the same time contrasting well with its surroundings, said the judges.

They added that the project was a clever and compact way of meeting the vestry's needs and was an interesting addition to the church.

The Kingsbury Square houses in Wilton have a facade dating from the mid-18th Century.

The Chilmark stonework was dirty and major stone decay had been induced by incorrect cutting of the material.

Now the facade has been cleaned by a specialist stone cleaner and about 15 to 20 per cent of the stonework has been replaced.

The judges described it as an exemplary piece of conservation work.

Commending the extension at Goose Cottage, Broad Chalke, the judges said the work reflected considerable credit on both architect and builders.

And they said the enhancement of the stable yard and chapel at Donhead Hall had been carried out to uniformly high standards.