A stained glass window created for a church in Wickham Bishops has been commended for its artistic craftsmanship by a judging panel of Maldon councillors, architects and historians.

The new stained glass window at St Peter's Church received the commendation during an awards ceremony as part of the 38th Maldon District Conservation Design Award Scheme.

The judges created a one-off category - a commendation for artistic craftsmanship - especially for the window, because they were so "astonished and delighted" by its quality.

The 11th-century church fell into disuse in 1850 and suffered a long period of neglect, before it was saved from dereliction by the Friends of Friendless Churches in 1975.

The Friends, which campaigns for and rescues historic places of worship at risk of demolition, decay and inappropriate conversion, gradually restored the church back to its former glory.

The charity commissioned stained-glass artist Ben Finn, who has used the church as his studio since the 1990s, to create the window.

The window shows Jacob sleeping on the rough earth with a rock for a pillow as he dreams of a ladder, connecting Earth to Heaven, which is populated by angels in jewel-coloured robes.

This was the subject of Ben's first stained-glass panel, which he designed in 1988 on the first day of his diploma in advanced stained glass at the Central School of Art and Design in London.

Presenting the commendation, Councillor Richard Siddall, chairman of the judging panel, said: "The style of the figures and background take inspiration from the Eastern Orthodox icon.

"The use of an obscured wispy glass for the background made by the Wissmach glass manufacturer in the United States combines with the handblown 'antique' glass for the figures.

"The details are painted with glass paint and fired at 650°C, the paint making a permanent bond with the glass.

"The glass is leaded and cemented in the traditional manner and set into the stonework using lime mortar and copper ties to secure the window to the saddle bars."

Councillor Siddall continued: "The window is an exceptional work of art in its own right.

"It has also positively enhanced the character of the building, bringing warm and vibrant colour into the chancel."

Accepting the commendation, Ben said: "I'm so delighted.

"[The awards] are a really good way of marking excellence in the skill and design of conservation."

Find out more about the other Burnham and Dengie winners in the ceremony here.