THE owner of historic Windlestone Hall has been charged by police with fraud after more than a year on bail, The Northern Echo has learnt.

William Davenport faces a number of offences and is due to appear before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe in January.

It is understood the allegations are in connection with a mortgage taken out on the 30-bedroomed Grade II* listed mansion which is in Rushyford, near Bishop Auckland.

In October Mr Davenport told The Northern Echo he had been the victim of a witch hunt by the authorities and called on the police to “put up or shut up”.

Since his initial arrest in November last year on suspicion of fraud he has been bailed and rebailed a number of times.

A condition of his bail meant he was not allowed to spend the night away from Windlestone, which Mr Davenport said breached his human rights.

The businessman says he has been vilified ever since his purchase of the former stately home from Durham County Council for what some regarded as a knock-down £241,000.

The sale was cleared by an independent auditor, although the authority was criticised for a lack of transparency.

Mr Davenport previously said the property had been in an appalling state and his family had “worked like Trojans” in an effort to renovate it.

Windlestone – once the family home of former Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden – has been described by English Heritage as one of the region’s most important buildings.

Last year the property, along with 25 acres of grounds, stables, courtyard, clock tower and cottages, was placed up for sale and marketed as a “substantial country house with an abundance of architectural delight”.

A reported sale to developers subsequently became mired in a legal dispute with Mr Davenport stating he remained the registered owner of the land and property.

In a statement Durham police said: “A 59-year-old man who had been on police bail as part of an investigation into alleged fraud relating to the purchase of Windlestone Hall has been charged with a number of fraud offences and will be appearing before magistrates at Newton Aycliffe on January 13 2016.”