THE Sherborne, formerly Sherborne House, has been recognised in a national award which celebrates restored Georgian buildings.

The mansion was the winner in the Restoration of a Georgian Building in an Urban Setting category in the Georgian Group Awards 2024, sponsored by Savills.

As part of a multimillion-pound restoration project, the Grade I listed building has seen the exterior walls, historic panelling, and chimneypieces repaired, with additional work taken place to remove “inappropriate” paints and the introduction of new decorative finishes.

Crucially, the house has seen the conservation of the decorative scheme for the staircase.

The Sherborne is home to the nationally significant Thornhill Mural and is a new destination for the arts in Sherborne.

Beyond the canvas and sculptures, it offers versatile spaces for events, private hire, and flexible working, a restaurant and bar championing a locally sourced British menu, and a carefully curated shop showcasing artisanal creators and makers.

The Sherborne is home to the nationally significant Thornhill Mural Picture: The Sherborne

A spokesperson for the Georgian Group awards said: “Sherborne House dates from 1720 when the principal block was constructed for Henry Seymour Portman to a design attributed to Benjamin Bastard.

“It was built onto an existing Tudor wing with an earlier Medieval core.  For more than 130 years the house was occupied by tenants and subsequently Lord Digby’s School for Girls.

“Following its closure in 1992, the building was put on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register.

“Successive schemes proposing use as an arts centre failed to attract funding, and conservation works that were to have been funded by enabling development never transpired.

“In 2018 it was bought by the present owners, and a rescue scheme developed by Spase Architects & Surveyors, with a brief to balance restoration of the building with its use to advance public education in the arts.

“Exterior walls, historic panelling, and chimneypieces have been repaired, inappropriate paints removed and new decorative finishes introduced.

“Central has been the conservation of Sir James Thornhill’s 1726 decorative scheme for the staircase.

“Insulation has been sensitively introduced where possible to enhance the building’s thermal performance, and air source heat pumps, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery installed to reduce the scheme’s carbon footprint.”

The Georgian Group Awards, now in their twentieth year, celebrate those who have demonstrated the vision and commitment to restore Georgian buildings and create new work in the spirit of the Georgian era across the United Kingdom.

The winners were announced on October 1, at Inner Temple Library, London, where the awards were presented by John Goodall, architectural editor for Country Life.

For more information on The Sherborne, visit their website.