A PORTLAND stonemason has won a top scholarship to complete a unique training programme in building conservation.

Piers Conway, 34, is a self-employed third-generation stonemason specialising in cathedrals, churches and other historic buildings, and has worked on the Lady Chapel at Hereford Cathedral.

He will be presented with his £6,000 Queen Elizabeth Scholarship, one of only five given this spring, by the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Luce, in a special ceremony in London this June.

Piers said: "I am delighted to be awarded the scholarship and obviously it will help me to continue with my work."

The scholarships are designed to advance education in modern and traditional crafts and trades. Piers' award will allow him to complete his William Morris Craft Fellowship from the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, a six-month course of training in historic building conservation.

Just three or four of these fellowships are awarded every year to highly experienced craftsmen and women to study the subject in depth and includes lectures and visits to experts in glass blowing, thatching and hand-made bricks.

Piers, who left school at 15 and worked on building sites before turning to the family tradition of stonemasonry, said: "It is quite simply the best course of its kind. We learn through lectures and site visits the many problems facing those concerned with historic buildings such as restoration versus repair, when to conserve and when to renew."

After gaining a City and Guilds qualification and later a diploma in stone carving from Weymouth College, his interest in historic building conservation developed through his work as a stonemason as there is less call for the trade on modern buildings.

He is passionate about his work and feels that the course will allow him to further develop his stonemason's skills and help conserve historic buildings for future generations to enjoy.

"So much damage has been committed to our heritage through ignorance and well-intentioned mistakes because modern building techniques are so different and generally inferior to those of our predecessors," he said.

"Mistakes cannot be undone on historic buildings and it is vital to have the knowledge to make the right decision."

On completing the course, Piers hopes to expand his business and hire one or two more staff to whom he can pass on his skills.

He said: "A lot of history of towns and villages is very often conserved in our buildings. That's why it's so important to preserve our ancient heritage."