A CISTERCIAN abbey situated in a market town has been commended at a national awards ceremony.

Rievaulx Abbey Visitor Centre and Museum, near Helmsley, won the Commercial and Leisure category in this year’s National Wood Awards.

It is the UK’s premier competition for excellence in architecture and product design.

The site, which includes a cafe, retail and exhibition space, benefited from a £1.9m investment and opened to visitors in summer 2016.

Award-winning architects Simpson and Brown were appointed by English Heritage to design the building.

Zinc roofing and timber cladding was used to create the centre, and the interior is made from a series of light-stained frames to contrast against the dark painted timber cladding.

It has also won the RIBA Regional Award and the EAA Ambassador Award in Edinburgh.

The announcement was made on Tuesday at the awards ceremony at Carpenters’ Hall in London.