MIDLOE
Middelhoo, Mydelhoo (xii-xvi cent.); Medlowe
(xvi cent.).
This little parish, covering nearly 881 acres, was
formerly extra-parochial, and is still reputed to be so
for ecclesiastical purposes. The land rises from
the river Kym on the south-west and the Diddington
Brook on the north-east and the parish is crossed
by a small stream running into the Ouse. The soil
is clay, growing wheat, oats and beans, and the land
is mostly arable, only about a third being pasture with
some 27 acres of woodland at Midloe Wood, Honey
Hill Plantation and Hangman's Spinney. The
nearest railway station is at St. Neots, about four
miles away to the south-east.
There is neither a church nor a village; the population, which in 1921 numbered 33, being scattered
in farmhouses and labourers' cottages. Midloe
Grange, a short distance from the southern boundary,
apparently marks the site of the grange of Warden
Abbey, mentioned in the 12th century. The present
house was probably built by Robert Payne, of St.
Neots, about 1590. He, his son, Sir Robert Payne,
and grandson, another Robert, are described as of
Midloe and doubtless lived here. The house is
timber framed and plastered, with a tiled roof. It
consists of a central block and two wings. The
southern wing, which formerly projected, has been
under-built and the northern wing was lengthened
on the west side in the 18th century. The house was
surrounded by a moat, the east side of which has been
filled in.
Other farms are Highfield Farm, where Midloe
narrows to a mere strip between Staughton and
Diddington; and Redhill Farm, near Redhill Bridge,
on the northern boundary.
MANOR
The first reference to MIDLOE,
showing it was then included among the
possessions of Ramsey Abbey, occurs
in a charter of Walter, Abbot of Ramsey, granting
it to the monks of St. Mary de Sartis, or Warden
Abbey (founded in 1135), at a rent of 3 stones (petras)
of wax yearly on Palm Sunday. (fn. 1) Although Abbot
Walter is said to have alienated the property without
consent of the Abbey of Ramsey, (fn. 2) it remained with
the Abbot and Convent of Warden. King Stephen
gave to it arable land called Ravensho, and Nariot
de Wylebi other arable land called Mulsho, which
his overlord, Robert de Brus, confirmed to them. (fn. 3)
Henry II confirmed to them their grange at Midloe,
and refers to Ravensho as his own gift in pure and
perpetual alms. (fn. 4) King Richard in 1198 confirmed
to the monks this grange and all the cultura called
Midloe which covered 100 acres by the king's perch. (fn. 5)
In 1208 the monks of Warden
owed 60 marks for having
confirmation of their grange
at Midloe and permission to
assart the woods there and
at Perry according to the
king's [John's] charter. (fn. 6) In
1252 Henry III gave them
licence to enclose or assart
the wood of Midloe within
the king's forest, and convert
it into a park. (fn. 7)
Warden Abbey. Azure a crozier between three pears or.
In 1279 the monastery held
the manor of Midloe of the
Abbey of Ramsey for a rent of 3 'petras' of wax,
and in the manor was a wood of a league in circuit. (fn. 8)
In 1520 the Abbot and Convent of Warden leased
the manor and grange, with the pasture called Mulsoe
in Midloe, for 60 years to Robert Hatley of Midloe,
yeoman, and William his son. (fn. 9) The reversion in fee
of the lease of the manor and pasture was in 1538
granted to John Worthe. (fn. 10) John Worthe immediately sold his interest to John Gostwyke, (fn. 11) who in
the following year received licence to alienate the
property to Oliver Leader and his wife Frances, (fn. 12)
to whom they were forthwith conveyed by the said
John Gostwyke and his wife Joan. (fn. 13)
With Staughton (q.v.) the manor passed from the
Leaders to Thomas Baldwin of Lymington in Hampshire, the uncle and heir of Lady Frances Leader,
who survived her husband and died in 1557. (fn. 14)
Thomas Baldwyn seems to have made a grant in 1558
of the manor and grange at a rent of £16 to Francis
Kelleway, who then leased the same to him for
99 years at a rent of £16 13s. 4d. Thomas Baldwyn
died at Clerkenwell in 1560, (fn. 15) and in 1567 a conveyance of the manor, watermill, lands, and rent in
Midloe and Mulsoe was made to Sir Henry Darcy,
kt., by Francis Kellewey and his wife Anne with
warranty against the heirs of Dame Francis Leader, (fn. 16)
The manor was later the subject of Chancery proceedings to which Sir William Kellewey (Keyleway)
of Richborough and Dame Frances his wife and
William Kelleway were parties. (fn. 17) This suit was
apparently concerned with the lease of the manor.
In 1590 the manor was conveyed by Sir Henry Darcy
and his wife Katherine, Katherine Darcy their
daughter, John Darcy, John Dorrington, and John
Bedell to Robert Payne, of St. Neots. (fn. 18) The title
seems still, however, to have been in dispute, and
Chancery proceedings were instituted by Robert
Payne against Thomas Pagett to recover the deeds
of the manor lately purchased by him from Sir Henry
Darcy. (fn. 19) A further conveyance was made in 1594
by John Baldwyn (fn. 20) to Robert Payne, who as Robert
Payne of Midloe, gent., died at Midloe in 1603,
leaving a son and heir Robert. (fn. 21) Sir Robert Payne,
kt., who lived at the manor house, and was described
as of Midloe in the Visitation of 1613, and his son and
heir Robert (aged nine at the time of the Visitation)
were dealing with the manor in 1629. (fn. 22) They had
parted with it before 1634, in which year Sir Martin
Lumley, kt., citizen and alderman of London, died
in the parish of St. Peter, Westcheap, London, seised
of the manor and of a messuage called Mulshoe, and
left a son and heir Martin. (fn. 23) In 1641 Martin Lumley
and his wife Mary conveyed the manor, grange,
watermill, etc., to Abraham Burrell, who died in
1657, leaving four daughters as his coheirs. (fn. 24)
In 1768 the manor was being dealt with by Henry
Galley, D.D., and his wife Elizabeth. (fn. 25) The manor
afterwards followed the descent of the Staughton
manor of Gaynes Hall (q.v.) and was held by Captain
William Duberly, who died in 1888. It is now held
by his brother, James Grey Duberly.
There are no charities for this parish.