Civic Trust Awards 2026 logo
The Maison Dieu (Dover Town Hall) has been shortlisted for a 2026 Civic Trust Award and an Architects Accredited in Building Conservation (AABC) Conservation Award, following a rigorous first-stage assessment.
The building is one of six South East finalists among 77 nationwide for the Civic Trust Award, which recognises projects of significant regional merit that enhance the built environment while being sustainable, accessible, and making a positive civic contribution.
The Maison Dieu is also one of three South East finalists for the AABC Conservation Awards. Established in 2014, these awards celebrate projects that demonstrate the highest standards of historic building conservation.
All regional finalists will now be considered by the National Judging Panel, a group of 22 experts spanning architecture, sustainability, conservation, urban design, and more. The panel sets exacting standards to ensure the ethos of excellence in the built environment, embodied by the Civic Trust Awards since 1959, is upheld.
The Maison Dieu will discover in January 2026 whether it has been named a National or International Winner or remains a Regional Finalist.
Cllr Lynne Wright, Portfolio Holder for Community and Corporate Property, said: "I’m delighted to hear the news that the Maison Dieu has been recognised in these awards. This shortlisting reflects the exceptional quality of the Maison Dieu restoration project. It demonstrates how careful conservation, combined with innovative reuse, can secure the future of one of Dover’s most important historic buildings while ensuring it continues to serve the community in meaningful ways."
Notes
The £10.5m reawakening of the Grade I Listed Maison Dieu has seen the restoration of internationally significant decorative schemes by the renowned Victorian neo-Gothic architect William Burges, and a new street-level visitor entrance to the Connaught Hall, along with improved access throughout the building. For more details see www.maisondieudover.org.uk
The Civic Trust Awards scheme was established in 1959 to recognise outstanding architecture, planning and design in the built environment
The AABC’s mission is to promote the highest standards of specialist architectural skills in the conservation, repair and adaptation of the historic built environment.
Posted on 01 December 2025