A SENSITIVE restoration award that aims to preserve the historic market town of Ruthin has been given to two newly built schools.

The £11.2million development of the Ysgol Pen Barras and Rhos Street School campus, which caters for more than 500 pupils, opened at Glasdir Estate on the outskirts of the town last year.

The schools received glowing Estyn inspections following their opening, and they have gotten further praise after being presented the Ruthin & District Civic Association’s (RDCA) Quayle Award, given annually to the owner of a new or recently restored building that improves the aesthetic value of Ruthin and surrounding villages.

The award is dedicated to the memory of the late William Quayle, who was a professor of mathematics at the University of Liverpool and resident in Ruthin.

The new school campus was funded by Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Government, as part of its 21st Century Schools Programme. The schools are set on raised ground due to being situated near a floodplain.

Pen Barras headteacher Marc Jones and Rhos Street deputy head Andrew Davis were present to receive the award from Anne Roberts, chair of the RDCA and Gavin Harris, mayor of Ruthin.

The RDCA was set up in 1988 to preserve and enhance the county town, which has listed buildings including Nantclwyd y Dre, the oldest timber-framed town house in Wales; the Old Mill, a 14th century watermill; and Rose Cottage, a medieval cruck-framed hall-house.