IVY HOUSE, COWPEN BEWLEY, NEAR BILLINGHAM

Abandoned in the 1970s this Grade II* listed 17th century farmhouse and its Grade II listed stable and hayloft, on The Green in Cowpen Bewley village, near Billingham, fell rapidly into disrepair. Owners I.C.I. Chemicals and Polymers Ltd found it would not be financially viable to restore the buildings and in 1995 handed them over to the Trust, along with a small cash donation. After securing a grant from English Heritage and a loan from the Architectural Heritage Fund the repair and refurbishment works were completed by the Trust in 1998 and the house and stable were sold to new owners.