Middleton, Warwickshire
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Middleton is a small village in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire, England.
At the time of Domesday Middleton was under a Norman Overlord Hugh de Grantmaisnil who had several holdings in Warwickshire. When he died it passed to the Marmions of Tamworth. In 1291 the estate was divided into three and Middleton was held by the de Frevilles. In the mid 15th century Sir Richard Bingham married Margaret Freville of Nottinghamshire. There is a brass memorial to Sir Richard in the Parish Church. When Margaret died in 1493 she left the estate to her grandson (by her first marriage) Sir Henry Willughby. It then stayed in the family until 1924. Francis Willughby was born there.
By the late 1970's Middleton Hall and the surrounding estate came under the ownership of the Amey Roadstone Corporation for sand and gravel extraction. The Hall and its outbuildings, with some remains dating back to the Norman period, was in serious danger of being lost. It was saved by the establishment of the Middleton Hall Trust in 1980, a group of volunteers who are restoring the Hall with the help of local authorities and national bodies. AMC have assisted in this by renting at a low rate the Hall and surroundings to the Tust, also restoring a Tudor period stable block for craft centre. Middleton also have a successful sunday league team, sporting a green home shirt and an all black away kit.
[edit] Nearby attractions
- Middleton Hall
- Ash End House Farm (a children's farm)
- The Belfry Golf Club