| 1 |
The Census Rep. of 1901 gives 1,370
acres, including 1 of inland water; there
were also 888 acres of foreshore. |
| 2 |
V.C.H. Lancs. i, 288b. |
| 3 |
He granted demesne tithes there to
St. Martin's, Sees; Farrer, Lancs. Pipe R.
290. In the Pipe Rolls of 1199–1200
appears 13s. 8d. of increment of Middle
ton; ibid. 113, &c. In 1226 the old
assized rent was recorded as 26s. 8d.;
Lancs. Inq. and Extents (Rec. Soc. Lancs.
and Ches.), i, 140. |
| 4 |
Ibid. 86. Later the service is recorded
as the fourteenth part of a knight's fee;
ibid. 144.
Adam died in or before 1235, and was
succeeded by his son Adam; Excerpta e
Rot. Fin. (Rec. Com.), i, 275. In 1241
Avice de Middleton released to Adam son
of Adam her right in 7 oxgangs of land in
Middleton; Final Conc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs.
and Ches.), i, 84. Adam de Middleton
was holding in 1242; ibid. 154. He was
living in 1255; ibid. 199. |
| 5 |
Ibid. 89. In 1198–9 Adam son of
Orm gave 30 marks for confirmation of his
plough-land in Middleton, &c.; Farrer, op.
cit. 106. See the account of Nether Kellet. |
| 6 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 93. A
charter of confirmation was granted in
1199; Cal. Rot. Chart. (Rec. Com.), 26. |
| 7 |
In 1259 William de Burgh obtained
from the king the custody and marriage
of the heir (masculine) of Adam de
Middleton, paying 15 marks; Excerpta e
Rot. Fin. (Rec. Com.), ii, 298.
According to a pleading of 1356 Adam
de Middleton gave certain land (then in
dispute) to William hit son and Joan his
wife, which William and Joan held it in
the time of Edward I; they had a son
and heir William, whose son William de
Burgh was plaintiff in the action; Duchy
of Lanc. Assize R. 4, m. 6 d.; 5, m. 17 d.
There is an obvious inaccuracy in this
account, Adam being dead before the son's
marriage, but if true at all it implies that
the son took the surname of Burgh.
William de Burgh of Middleton occurs
in 1265; Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 233.
In 1285 Robert son of John the Greave
of Overton and Maud his wife claimed
from William son of William de Burgh a
messuage and oxgang of land in Middleton;
De Banco R. 60, m. 90. William de
Burgh held the plough-land in 1297,
paying 8½d. and doing suit to county and
wapentake; Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 296.
In 1302 he was described as heir of Adam
de Middleton, and the service was the
fourteenth part of a knight's fee; ibid.
317. The above dispute about an oxgang
of land continued, John son of Robert de
Overton being now defendant; De Banco
R. 144, m. 90 d.; 148, m. 159.
William de Burgh made a settlement of
his third part of the manor (3 oxgangs
excepted) in 1317; the remainder was to
his son William and Joan his wife; Final
Conc. ii, 24. He died in or before 1323
holding the third part of the manor and
an oxgang of land of the king in chief by
the twelfth part of a knight's fee, 8½d. for
castle ward, &c. His wife Emma is named;
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, ii, 126, 151. |
| 8 |
Towneley MS. C 8, 13 (Chet. Lib.),
H 221. This explains why land in
Middleton was afterwards stated to be
held of Heaton or Brockholes. |
| 9 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 296; they
held one plough-land and paid 13s. 4d. rent. |
| 10 |
In 1286 Hawise widow of Adam de
Kellet claimed dower in Middleton against
Orm de Kellet (as to 2 oxgangs of land),
Robert le Rich (3), and William son of
Richard le Rich (3); De Banco R. 64,
m. 105 d.
In 1292 Orm de Kellet resigned his
messuage and plough-land in Middleton
to Richard de Preston and received it
back, the remainder being to the heirs of
Euphemia wife of Orm; Final Conc. i,
168, 174. In 1297 Orm de Kellet and
Euphemia his wife held the plough-land
of the earl by the ancient rent of 13s. 4d.;
Lancs. Inq, and Extents, i, 296. |
| 11 |
Final Conc. ii, 19; Edmund de Nevill
and Euphemia his wife (possibly widow or
daughter of Orm) v. Gilbert le Harper,
Richard de Preston putting in his claim.
In 1323 Edmund de Nevill was said to
hold a moiety (?a third) of the manor;
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, ii, 119. In 1337
he made a feoffment of his remaining
moiety of the manor; Final Conc. ii, 104.
He died in Dec. 1346 holding the sixth
part of the manor, with two messuages
and 2 oxgangs of land, of William de
Heaton by rendering 1 lb. of cummin
yearly. William dc Nevill, his son and
heir, was of full age; Inq. p.m. 20 Edw.
III (1st nos.), no. 39. The tenure does
not agree with that of Orm de Kellet. |
| 12 |
Chart. R. 12 Edw. II, m. 17, no.77. |
| 13 |
Cockersand Chartul. (Chet. Soc), iii,
1076–7; the soul of Orm de Kellet was
one of those to be prayed for. Euphemia
the wife of Sir Edmund was then dead.
The mesne lords were William de Burgh
of Middleton and Thomas de Rigmaiden of
the same place. Licence to alienate had been
duly granted; Cal. Pat. 1334–8, p. 472. |
| 14 |
Survey of 1346 (Chet. Soc.), 68–70.
William de Nevill held an acre belonging
to the third plough-land, causing the total
rents to be 13s. 8d. and 13s., instead of
13s. 4d. each. The oxgang there appears
to have contained 10 acres.
In 1361 the Abbot of Cockersand,
William de Nevill and William de Burgh
were stated to hold the fourteenth part of
a knight's fee in Middleton; Inq. p.m.
35 Edw. III, pt. i, no. 122.
In 1365 Edmund de Heaton claimed
3 oxgangs of land against William de
Nevill, 1 oxgang each against John son of
Roger de Middleton and John de Heysham
and 1 acre against Thomas son of Roger
de Middleton; De Banco R. 416,
m. 455 d. |
| 15 |
The pleadings refer to minor estates.
William de Lone in 1340 claimed a
messuage which Gamel son of Edmund
had granted to Adam de Lune in free
marriage with Christiana his daughter;
they had a daughter Margaret, and plaintiff
was her son. The defendant was Henry
de 'Haybergh'; De Banco R. 323,
m. 70 d. This may refer to Middleton
near Kirkby Lonsdale; see De Banco R.
Mich. 22 Rio II, m. 199 d.
In 1354 a messuage, &c., was settled
by Richard son of Geoffrey the Serjeant
and Agnes his wife (by their guardian
Roger de Pinnemore), William the Clerk's
son of Stodday and Alice his wife, with
remainder to Alice daughter of Roger de
Pinnemore; Final Conc. ii, 141. See also
Assize R. 435, m. 13. |
| 16 |
Robert Lawrence was stated to hold
a moiety of the manor in 1450 by a rent
of 2d., and Sir James Lawrence 'the
manor' in 1490 by 1d. rent; Lancs. Inq.
p.m. (Chet. Soc), ii, 57, 123.
Some deeds which have been preserved
throw little light on the acquisition.
William de Middleton and Alice his wife
in 1377 gave two messuages, &c., to
John dc Heysham; Duchy of Lanc.
Anct. D. (P.R.O.), L 1040. In 1461
William Middleton made a feoffment of
his lands; ibid. L 1048. John Middleton son and heir of William in 1479 received his lands, with remainder to a
brother Edmund; ibid. L 1049. John
agreed to an arbitration in 1482; ibid.
L 1024. In 1498 he released to
Thomas Lawrence all his lands and rights
in Middleton; ibid. L 1085. |
| 17 |
Robert Washington in 1483 held
land in Middleton of the king as duke in
socage by a rent of 1s. 8d.; Lancs. Inq.
p.m. (Chet. Soc), ii, 115. The rent is
the same as that of William Ellison in
1346. The next Robert Washington in
1517 was said to hold by knight's service;
Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. v, no. 10;
vi, no. 59. |
| 18 |
He died in 1534 holding two messuages, &c., in Middleton of Lord
Mounteagle by services unknown; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. vi, no. 41; vii, no. 36.
His son Robert, however, was in 1555
said to hold of the Crown by knight's
service and 12½d. rent; ibid, x, no. 38. |
| 19 |
Ibid, xxix, no. 64; tenure not stated.
He did not belong to the local Middleton
families, of whom no account can be
given. Elizabeth daughter of Ralph
Middleton and wife of Nicholas Adamson
mentioned in 1522 may have been of this
family; Pal. of Lanc. Plea R. 134, m. 5. |
| 20 |
Trans. Hist. Soc. (new ser.), xxiv, 173. |
| 21 |
In 1288 Thomas son of Roger de
Burgh complained that Richard de Rigmaiden and Anabil his wife had disseised him of a messuage and land in
Middleton by Overton, in conjunction
with William son of William de Heaton.
Christiana widow of William de Heaton
was chief lady of the fee and one Thomas
son of William had held of her. His
heir was the said Anabil, whose sister
Agnes (born before marriage) was mother
of plaintiff; Assize R. 1277, m. 31.
Richard de Rigmaiden held part in 1297,
as stated in the text.
In 1317 John son of Maud de Dolphinlee claimed a messuage and oxgang of
land in Middleton held by Thomas son of
Richard de Rigmaiden and Margaret his
wife; De Banco R. 220, m. 184d. In
1317–18 Thomas son of Richard de
Rigmaiden ratified a grant by his father
to Edmund de Nevill concerning land in
an island of Middleton called Mirhop;
Add. MS. 32104, fol. 232. Richard de
Rigmaiden held a fourth part of the vill
in 1323; Lancs. Inq. and Extents, ii, 119.
A long silence follows. John Rigmaiden held lands in Middleton in 1525
of John Brockholes of Claughton by the
rent of 1 1b. of pepper; Duchy of Lanc.
Inq. p.m. xi, no. 6. One of the same
name in 1554 purchased two messuages,
&c., from Richard Corney; Pal. of Lanc.
Feet of F. bdle. 15, m. 137. John Rigmaiden the elder in 1574 had sons William,
John and Thomas; ibid. bdle. 36, m. 97. |
| 22 |
Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs.
and Ches.), i, 91; he left a son Francis,
one year old. In 1634 Gavin Herdman
purchased the 'manor' of Middleton,
dovecote, &c., from Thomas Covell,
Dorothy his wife, Francis Rigmaiden and
Jane his wife, warranty being given
against the heirs of John Rigmaiden,
grandfather of Francis; Pal. of Lanc.
Feet of F. bdle. 122, no. 47. |
| 23 |
The manor of Middleton, two dovecotes and lands in Middleton, Slyne and
Hatlex, with fishery, &c., were in 1650
purchased by William West and Julia or
Juliana his wife from Robert Middleton,
Ellen his wife, Gavin Herdman, Richard
Rathmell, Alice his wife, Richard Greene
and Dorothy his wife; ibid. bdle. 147,
m. 16.
William West is named in 1653 as a
colonel in the Parliament's army; Cal.
S. P. Dom. 1655, P. 53.
In 1654 a settlement by George
Middleton of Leighton and Anne his
wife included the 'manor' of Middleton
(Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 156, m.
135), and this was acquired in 1659 by
William West and Henry Baldwin from
George and Anne Middleton, with
Thomas Slater or Sclater, M.D., and
Susan his wife; ibid. bdle. 164, m. 96.
Baldwin was afterwards described as
West's servant.
William West of Middleton was buried
7 Dec. 1670, his wife Juliana having died
about four years earlier; Lanc. Ch. (Chet.
Soc.), iii, 664. He married secondly
Frances daughter of Roger Kirkby of
Kirkby Ireleth, and just before his death
made a settlement of his estates, including
the manor of Middleton, the Hall, Hugh
Hill, Rigmaiden's house, &c. He seems
to have had no children, and, after providing for his wife, the remainders were
to Henry West of the Middle Temple,
second son of Richard West of Heaton,
deceased, to John West, eldest son of
John West of Heaton (elder brother of
Henry West), and to Nathan West,
second son of John West of Overton;
B. M. Add. Chart. 19547. Frances afterwards married Thomas Richardson of
Ronhead; West, Furness (1774), 244.
For Sir Thomas Sclater's will, 1684, see
Misc. Gen. et Her. i, 382–4. |
| 24 |
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 247,
m. 89. |
| 25 |
William Coltman occurs in 1552
and 1571; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F.
bdle. 14, m. 78; 33, m. 82. Richard
Forster of Lancaster in 1568 held a messuage and 16 acres in Middleton of the
queen by knight's service; Duchy of
Lanc. Inq. p.m. xi, no. 24. Katherine
his daughter died in 1572, leaving Nicholas
Forster as heir; ibid, xiii, no. 12.
William Morecroft in 1555 purchased
a messuage from Thomas Gardiner and
another in 1576 from Nicholas Forster;
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 15, m. 30;
38, m. 18. He died in 1577 holding in
Middleton of the queen as of her duchy
by knight's service and a rent of 3s. 10d.
for castle ward. He also had land in
Ormskirk and Scarisbrick; Duchy of
Lanc. Inq. p.m. xii, no. 16. His son
William died ten years later holding of
the queen by knight's service, part by
the hundredth part of a knight's fee and
3s. 10d. rent and part by the twohundredth part of a fee; ibid, xiv, no. 33.
His son William, then two years old,
survived till 1600, when the heirs were
Isabel Morecroft, spinster, aged sixty;
William Clarkson son of Robert and
Jane, thirty; John Styth son of Edward
and Alice, forty; John Bagott son of
Francis and Janet, twenty-one; ibid,
xviii, no. 30. These were probably aunt
and cousins of the deceased, but the
relationship is not stated.
The Morecroft estate must have been
purchased by James Porter, who died in
1614 holding two messuages, &c., of the
king as duke by the hundredth part of
a knight's fee and 3s. 10d. rent. His
son and heir Henry was only a year
old; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs.
and Ches.), ii, 3. See p. 41, note 122,
above.
William Wingreene of Middleton died
in 1637 holding of the king in thegnage.
He left four daughters and co-heirs—
Anne wife of Edmund Parkinson, aged
twenty-two; Dorothy wife of John Metcalfe, twenty; Janet, fourteen, and Margaret, five. By his will the two last
were to have his estates; Towneley
MS. C8, 13 (Chet. Lib.), 1307. |
| 26 |
William de Middleton son of William
de Hest and Orm de Kellet gave small
parcels of land, apparently for a grange;
Lanc. Ch. ii, 282–3. Hawgate, at the
northern extremity of the vill, and Little
Hallgate are mentioned. |
| 27 |
The gifts have already been recorded.
In 1583 the estate was demised by the
Crown, as Middleton Hall and lands, to
John Packington for sixty years; Pat.
25 Eliz., pt. v. An earlier lease had
been made (perhaps of part) to Roger
Dalton, Alexander Gardiner being occupier; ibid, 21 Eliz., pt. xi. It was sold
in 1609 to George Salter, &c.; ibid.
7 Jas. I, pt. xvi.
In 1600 there was a dispute between
Westmore and Dodding as to the estate;
Exch. Dep. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.),
10, 11. |
| 28 |
V.C.H. Lancs. ii, 157. It is also
mentioned as existing in 1585; it had a
barn adjacent called the 'Bell House,'
and was occupied by Thomas Westmore
at a rent of 3s. 4d.; Duchy of Lanc.
Special Com. 360. |