ONE of York's oldest construction firms has earned a top national accolade.

William Anelay the 256-year-old firm in Murton Way, Osbaldwick, which specialises in restoration of ancient buildings, has received a national Civic Trust award.

The award, presented at a special ceremony at the Imperial War Museum North in Salford, recognises the excellence of the firm's restoration of Blackwell, into what is now called the Arts and Crafts House on the shores of Lake Windermere.

The firm spent a year on the magnificent structure, which was hailed as the height of contemporary stylishness when first designed and built by legendary architect Baillie Scott between 1897 and 1900 for Sir Edward Holt, a brewer, and former Lord Mayor of Manchester.

But since then Blackwell has been used as a boarding school, and later offices - and many of the original features which were missing, including decorative detail, had to be restored.

The Lakeland Arts Trust, which received a lottery grant, commissioned the work and the building was officially reopened last July by Prince Charles.

Civic Trust judges applauded Anelay's "care, sensitivity, restraint and attention to detail".

Charles Anelay, managing director and eighth generation of Anelays, said: "We're thrilled, especially as the Civic Trust awards are for outstanding examples of construction and environmental design which take into account the benefit of the quality of design to the local area and ours were among hundreds of entries."

Updated: 10:46 Monday, April 07, 2003