A 17TH Century farmhouse that became derelict after being empty for nearly 50 years has been restored to its former glory after years of renovations.

In 1998, English Heritage identified Middridge Grange Farmhouse, a Grade II*-listed building in Heighington, near Darlington, as a building of key importance to the region and offered more than £288,000 in grants for its restoration.

After eight years of work, which included repairs to make it watertight and improvements to the roof, doors, floors and windows, more than £750,000 has been spent, including the grants, to make it habitable.

The renovations mean that the building will be removed from the English Heritage atrisk register.

Owned by farmer Edward Scott and his family, Middridge Grange has a colourful history and was once the home of Colonel Anthony Byerley, who commanded a regiment known as Byerley’s Bulldogs, who fought for Charles I.

It is thought that Byerley may have sheltered the embattled king at Middridge during the Civil War.

Another famous guest was the Byerley Turk, the first Arab horse in Britain, from which, along with two others, all British racing bloodstock is descended.

By Vicki Henderson vicki.henderson@nne.co.uk The horse was retired to stud at Middridge, having been the military mount of Anthony Byerley’s son, Robert.

Middridge Grange has been in the Scott family from the early 1900s, but was empty for more than 40 years after descendants of the original owner moved.

Mr Scott, 36, who lives and works on the farm after overseeing the renovations, said: “The house has been derelict for the whole of my lifetime. I take it for granted really, because I played in it as a child and worked around it on the farm and now I live there, but I know it’s impressive to other people.

“It does take my breath away sometimes to think of the work that’s gone in and I am proud of what we have done here. We are still ongoing with the internal fittings, trying to find lights and so on that fit in with the time period of the house.”

Carol Pyrah, English Heritage planning director for the North-East, said: ‘Middridge Grange farmhouse is one of the most historically important buildings in the North- East, which is why English Heritage has offered £288,000 to secure its future.”