The Surrey Heritage Awards celebrates the region’s rich and diverse architectural heritage, historic building conservation and restoration. The Motor House, located at the Club’s Woodcote Park estate, beat five other entries to win the top honour.

Miles Wade, Secretary of the Royal Automobile Club said, “We are thrilled that our newly-refurbished Motor House has become one of the centre pieces of the Royal Automobile Club’s rich motoring heritage. The quality of shortlisted entries was exceptional so for the Club to receive the Surrey Heritage Award is an honour and a real achievement to those involved in the project.”

The project follows an historical tradition of re-purposing barns and stables on country estates into motor houses, following the demise of the horse and carriage as a means of transport. The Royal Automobile Club’s Motor House accommodates the Club’s heritage vehicle collection, including automobiles from the RAC patrol fleet and those stalwarts of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, the 1900 Simms and 1901 Mors. Displays inside the Motor House illustrate the Club’s heritage and the historical innovations which have aided the development of the automobile through the ages, while an authentic 1950’s garage display, complete with Sir Stirling Moss’s 1955 OSCA, has been created to represent the Club’s historic motoring and motorsport involvement through the 21st century. The Motor House is now open to the Club’s members, invited guests and the wider motoring community for guided tours.