A beautiful country house in 29 acres that once nursed naval officers back to health
Middleton Hall in Northumberland is a superb home that has been painstakingly restored over a six-year period – now, the owners are looking to move on. Penny Churchill reports.


‘You get a lot more for your money up north,’ insists Ryan Eve of Finest Properties in Corbridge, Northumberland and, having seen all that’s on offer at Middleton Hall at Belford, near Bamburgh, on the wild and wonderful Northumberland coast, who could disagree?
For sale through the Corbridge firm at a guide price at £3.95 million, the imposing Victorian house is set in 29 acres of wooded, historic gardens and grounds.
Both the main house and its ancillary buildings have been painstakingly restored and renovated by its owners, Brian and June Morton, who bought the core property in 2006, when the surrounding 2,300-odd acres of farmland were sold to the former tenants.
Although the earliest records relating to the Middleton estate date from 1107, the history of the hall itself goes back to 1857, when John Towlerton Leather bought the estate, which he later extended by buying the surrounding land and adding a substantial neo-Tudor wing to the existing two-storey farmhouse in 1871.
John Leather’s grandson, Col Gerard Leather, carried on where his grandfather left off, although his efforts were hampered when the farmhouse burned down in 1915.
Ten years later, in 1925, he started to rebuild the hall, using materials from nearby Haggerston Castle – a project that proved to be a financial step too far, resulting in much of the land having to be sold off.
In 1945, the estate was bought by the Greenwich Hospital Trust as a farming investment and, until 1960, became a convalescent home for naval officers, before it was finally sold in 2006, ‘by which time, the main house had more or less gone to rack and ruin’, Mr Morton reveals.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
It took five to six years of intensive work by dedicated local craftsmen to restore the main mansion to its original splendour, but, at long last, in 2010–11, the Morton family were able to move in.
Now, with other projects in the pipeline, Mr and Mrs Morton are looking to downsize, leaving behind a testament to northern grit and determination, in the shape of the baronial Middleton Hall with its grand reception rooms and 10 en-suite bedrooms, the five-bedroom North Wing, five-bedroom coach house and several idyllic small houses on the estate – among them The Folly, Lake Cottage and The Boathouse.
Middleton Hall at Belford is for sale via Finest Properties – see more details and pictures.
Credit: Lambert Smith
The home of the Queen Mother’s uncle goes on the market
You’ll be able to buy a substantial historic property in Northumberland – and increase your disposable income.
Capheaton Hall, Northumberland: The revival of a country house that narrowly avoided demolition
A house that narrowly avoided demolition after the Second World War has been gradually revived by the family that has
-
Sophia Money-Coutts: Is it ever okay to throw your dog a birthday party?
Sir Lewis Hamilton did it, so why not throw a birthday party for your canine companion, Sophia Money-Coutts asks.
By Sophia Money-Coutts Published
-
A 500-acre estate that spent 11 centuries in the same family, for sale for only the second time in its history
In the beautiful hills of north Wales the Garthewin estate has come up for sale, including a great country house once restored by the architect who created Portmeirion. Penny Churchill takes a closer look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
A 500-acre estate that spent 11 centuries in the same family, for sale for only the second time in its history
In the beautiful hills of north Wales the Garthewin estate has come up for sale, including a great country house once restored by the architect who created Portmeirion. Penny Churchill takes a closer look.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
'The city has always held an important creative space within our design studio': A luxury townhouse in Tokyo, courtesy of Aston Martin
A new four-storey property in the Omotesandō district is the first single home private residence by the British ultra-luxury performance brand.
By James Fisher Published
-
The Mediterranean Magic of Malta
With historic charm, picture-perfect beaches and a welcoming approach to newcomers, Malta represents an appealing option for Mediterranean property hunters. Holly Kirkwood reports.
By Holly Kirkwood Published
-
Four country houses with their own tennis courts, as seen in Country Life
If Wimbledon has put you in the mood for more tennis, Annunciata Elwes is here with a selection of homes with their own tennis courts.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
-
The majestic New Forest estate formerly owned by a billionaire adventurer — famous for driving 'the world's fastest kettle' — has come up for sale
Great estates in the unspoilt setting of the New Forest are always a welcome sight on the market, and Newton Park is a wonderful example with a sad story to tell. Anna White tells more.
By Anna White Last updated
-
A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in years
The ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
By Lotte Brundle Published
-
The new property hotspots where you can have it all: Beautiful houses, great schools and idyllic lifestyle
Across the country people are selling up and heading to the towns where there's no compromise on dream homes, outstanding schooling and the good life, according to analysis from two of Britain's top estate agents. Anna White explains.
By Anna White Published
-
Where Venice once ruled: The roving Venetians left handsome imprints across the Greek world, from its religion to its rambling villas
Matthew Dennison explores the lingering traces of Venice's vanished empire — and the best places to buy where it once stood.
By Matthew Dennison Last updated