Award for restoration ofRye’s famous cobbles

The work was deemed to be so skilled as to be ‘almost invisible’.

Rye Conservation Society presented its annual Townscape Awards when it held its AGM at St Mary’s Centre on Friday April 24.

The prestigious Craftsmanship Award went to the work men of CLC Ltd and Southern Gas Networks.

“Rye Conservation Society chairman John Griffiths says: “Many people may not be aware that Rye’s cobbled streets are individually Listed monuments, in the same way that St Mary’s Church, Ypres Tower, the Landgate Arch and many of the citadel’s houses are listed and protected.

“For too long utilities have come in and dug up the cobbles and not having the necessary skills of knowledge of cobble-laying they have often done a very poor job of reinstatement.”

Planning Committee chair Julian Luckett and Committee Member Andrew Bamji met with the Highways department and the utilities to discuss the problem of cobbles repairs .

Julian Luckett said: “The craftsmen of CLC Ltd showed they have skills to revive the dying craft of cobbling. We are delighted to make this award for almost invisible repairs.”

The main Townscape Award went to the Fletcher group for the Kino project.