We’re so proud to share that the College has won several awards at this year’s Oxford Preservation Trust (OPT) Awards, held this month at St John’s College. Magdalen entered two projects into the highly competitive Building Conservation category and walked away with three recognitions, including being named Plaque winner in the Judge’s choice category (meaning that our weathervane restoration was their favourite project entered into the 2025 awards across all categories)
The OPT Awards champion the best in conservation and new design, celebrating projects that make a significant contribution to Oxford’s character, streets, green spaces, and communities. This year’s ceremony, which saw 21 projects shortlisted across six categories, was no different, showcasing a rich array of high-quality entries with an emphasis on sustainability and traditional conservation.
Magdalen’s two entries both focused on preserving the historic detail of the College’s iconic structures:
- Repairs to, and regilding of, the weathervanes on the Great Tower.
- Replacement of two grotesques and stone work repair on the oriel window of the Old Library.
The Great Tower
The project to restore the four historic weathervanes atop the iconic Great Tower not only received a Highly Commended certificate in the Building Conservation category but won the coveted Plaque Winner in the Judge’s Choice category across all entries.
The Great Tower, at 144 feet, is one of the most recognizable features on Oxford’s skyline. After more than 500 years of exposure, the flags on top were in need of care, their gold leaf worn away to reveal oxidised copper.
The ambitious restoration saw specialist heritage rope access company, Wall Walkers (led by Chris Milford), scale the Tower in November 2023 to retrieve the flags so they could be regilded by conservator Peter Meehan and returned to the Tower in September 2024.
Oriel window
The second project, focused on restoring the Old Library oriel window, and also received a Highly Commended certificate in the Building Conservation category.
This project involved the careful replacement of two heavily weathered grotesques and essential lime mortar repairs to the oriel window. The work, carried out by a skilled team including stone carver Alex Wenham and Magdalen stonemason Alistair Grace, used traditional materials and techniques to preserve the historic detail of the library’s intricate stonework for future generations.
A huge congratulations to everyone involved, including our surveyance team Robert Langley and Freya Morris. These two projects reflect our commitment to maintaining the College’s remarkable architectural heritage, and it’s such a privilege to be recognised by the OPT for this work.
