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The Ramelton Historic Towns Initiative was one of three projects from Ireland and Britain to be shortlisted for the Sustainable Heritage Award at the inaugural Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings [SPAB] Heritage Awards. Attended by over 230 people in person and a further 500 people on-line, the event was held on Thursday, November 3 in Conway Hall in London and hosted by Kevin McCloud, presenter of ‘Grand Designs’ on Channel 4 television.
“It’s wonderful to see the recognition given to our Historic Towns Initiative in Ramelton” said Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer. “Of the over 70 heritage-led projects from across Britain and Ireland considered for the SPAB Sustainable Heritage Award, it’s a great accolade to be among the final three projects shortlisted for the award. The potential of our historic buildings and streetscapes in County Donegal is starting to be realised. The temptation to demolish and rebuild is not a sustainable approach to our built environment, it’s not responsible in terms of addressing climate change, and it doesn’t make good economic sense. The approach to the treatment of our historic buildings and streetscapes should be rooted in best conservation practice, enlist traditional building skills and protect the historic fabric and aesthetic of our built environment. This approach will not only help to sustain more attractive places to live, work and visit but it will provide local employment and upskilling opportunities. It’s time to invest in our historic buildings, source good-quality building fabric, support our craftspeople and enhance our traditional building skills.”
The Ramelton Historic Towns Initiative was a collaboration between Donegal County Council, Ramelton Georgian Society, Dedalus Architecture and local property owners. Fourteen historic buildings along Castle Street, Back Lane, at the Market Cross and the House on the Brae on Bridge Street, Ramelton benefitted under the Historic Towns Initiative. All 14 buildings are Protected Structures or included on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage and contribute to Ramelton’s historic streetscape. The conservation works undertaken included roof and chimney repairs, addressing structural issues, installation of cast-iron rainwater goods, reinstatement of timber sash windows and doors, and the repair and reinstatement of historic shopfronts using traditional materials and informed by best conservation practice and historical evidence. The initiative was funded by The Heritage Council, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Donegal County Council and local property owners.
The overall SPAB Sustainable Heritage Award was awarded to No. 4, Black Bull Close – the rescue of an abandoned eighteenth-century building behind Dunbar High Street in Scotland by community-based charity and social enterprise Ridge. “Our fellow award nominees from Dunbar provide high-quality training opportunities in traditional building skills and support employment for people who would otherwise struggle to access the job market. It is clear that we have much to learn from each other and we are exploring the possibility of undertaking reciprocal visits to each other’s projects in 2023” said Collette Beattie, Conservation Officer, Donegal County Council. “Kevin McCloud, who presents Channel 4’s ‘Grand Designs’, was very interested in our Historic Towns Initiative in Ramelton and is keen to hear about the heritage-led conservation work taking place in County Donegal. He hopes to visit the county next year to find out more.”
Founded by William Morris in 1877, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) was established in response to the work of Victorian architects whose enthusiasm for harmful restoration caused irreparable damage to historic buildings. SPAB provides training, advice and best practice guidance for new generations of architectural professionals and building craftspeople to shape historic buildings and landscapes with sensitivity and skill and encourages excellence in new design to enrich and complement the built historic environment. In early 2017, SPAB Ireland – the newest branch of the organisation – was established by a group of Irish SPAB Scholars and Fellows.
The Ramelton Historic Towns Initiative has already won the Urban Design Award and was highly commended under the Sustainability category at the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland national awards in June. The Ramelton Historic Towns Initiative is also shortlisted for the Heritage & Built Environment Award at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin on Thursday, November 24. The lessons learnt from previous Historic Towns Initiative projects in Letterkenny and Ramelton are now being applied to works to historic buildings and streetscapes in Ballyshannon.
