A PRESTIGIOUS award has been given to Hylands House in Chelmsford for plastering work to repair fire damage.AG Joy and Son Ltd were presented with the National 2003 Humber Salver prize for excellence in solid plastering at a ceremony in London last week.

A PRESTIGIOUS award has been given to Hylands House in Chelmsford for plastering work to repair fire damage.

AG Joy and Son Ltd were presented with the National 2003 Humber Salver prize for excellence in solid plastering at a ceremony in London last week.

The West Wing of Chelmsford Borough Council's Hylands House, including the Banqueting Room, was damaged by a roof fire in 1963 and was in a perilous condition.

The award was given by the Worshipful Company of Plaistererswhich also gave Hylands House owners' Chelmsford Borough Council a certificate to recognise its contribution.

AG Joy & Son had to re-build the intricate mouldings, most of them in situ, incorporating as much of the original decorative plaster as possible.

The Judges praised the leaves of the chandelier roses and said the panelled pilasters were the finest example of ornamental plaster they had seen this year.

Hylands House beat other prestigious architectural projects, such as the art deco Brighton Dome and the Swiss Re Tower (known as the 'Gherkin') in the City of London.

In total 44 projects were visited by the judges before Hylands House was awarded the prize.

AG Joy & Son Ltd won the solid plastering award in 1993 and 1998 for work carried out on Windsor Castle.

Bunny Joy and his son, Jon, worked on the plaster ceilings and cornices of the East Wing of Hylands House in 1999 and then worked on the West Wing in 2002-3, which won them the award for the third time.

Executive Member for Arts and Entertainment, Councillor Christopher Kingsley said: "We are delighted and privileged to receive this award in recognition of our involvement in employing craftsmen and plasterers of the very highest quality."