HISTORIC homes in a North Dorset village are at the centre of a fundraising battle.

The Alms Houses in Milton Abbas were built in the mid-17th century and are classified by English Heritage in the second-highest category of national importance.

The timber-roofed building is divided into four dwellings, all of which are still occupied by tenants of the Tregonwell Alms House Trust.

Nearly £350,000 is needed to bring them "into the 21st century" and provide a better standard of living for the elderly people who live in them.

Chariman of trustees Michael Coleman said the trust had won support from North Dorset planners and heritage experts.

"We have been given £138,000 by the housing corporation and are ready to start phase one of the refurbishment. We're rehousing two of our tenants in the middle of next month," said Mr Coleman.

A further £65,000 has been pledged from local trusts, including the Alice Ellen Ashley-Cooper Foundation, the Valentine Charitable Trust, the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Dunhill Trust.

The building was moved "lock, stock, and barrel" to its present position in 1780 after Joseph Damer, the Earl of Dorchester, demolished the town of Middleton to make room for a lake.

David Duncombe-Anderson, clerk to the trustees, said that the roof is older than the rest of the structure. "The roof predates 1647 and is made from oak timbers," he said.

Fundraising activities were under way to help raise a further £100,000 and allow trustees to restore all four dwellings.

"We have a buy a brick' campaign called The Hod 100. Donations can be gift-aided so we can reclaim the tax," said Mr Duncombe-Anderson.