Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Middleton Old Town
Hob Uid: 3339
Location : Northumberland Northumberland Ilderton
Grid Ref : NT9884824114
Summary : The earthwork remains of the medieval village of North Middleton, situated on the east side of a small tributary of Coldgate Water. The village is divided into three areas by the stream and by a hollow way aligned roughly east-west. Two rows of small plots, with smaller enclosures and platforms which represent at least six buildings, face each other across the hollow way. The remains survive as banks of earth and stone on average 0.3 metres to 0.7 metres high but in places stand up to 1.2 metres high. The walls of some buildings are exposed and show that they are constructed of stone with clay bonding. The buildings range between 8 metres and 27 metres long and some are divided into three or four compartments. A well lies on the south side of the hollow way and is covered with a millstone. To the north of the well there are the remains of what is thought to be a kiln; it survives as a turf covered mound and is roughly key-hole shaped in plan. Two ares of ridge and furrow cultivation lie at the north east and west of the village and measure an average 4 metres wide from ridge to ridge. Documentary evidence suggests that the remains are those of North Middleton, originally called Midilest Middleton, first mentioned in 1242. In 1296 there were eight taxpayers and in 1580 11 tenants. By 1759 the vill was let to a single tenant but the settlement is thought to have migrated in the late 18th century with only a few buildings still standing at the old site circa 1800. Scheduled.
More information : (NT 99002396) Foundations of numerous buildings and enclosure walls, probably modern. (1) Centred at NT 991239. The remains of a depopulated village exist in the fields around the shepherd's cottage at Middleton Old Town. A series of low banks divide the land into small plots while smaller enclosures and platforms represent the buried foundations of buildings. The banks are of earth and stones and vary in height from 0.3m to 0.7m. Some of the building steadings appear to be of fairly recent origin with walling still visible. Others are completely covered over with earth and are very similar in character to building steadings of a deserted mediaeval village. It seems probable that the depopulation extended over a considerable period. No trace of antiquity in the existing buildings at Old Middleton. (2) Surveyed at 1/2500 (3) No change since reports of 4 10 55 and 22 9 69; this cohesive and independent area of desertion bears too little relation to modern detail to be classed as 'shrinkage', or relatively recent clearance. Surveyed at 1:10 000 and 1:2500 on MSDs. (4) [NT 9883 2395: name centred] Middleton Old Town [NR] Site of [NAT] (5) NT 989 239. Medieval settlement at Old Middleton. Scheduled No ND/403. (6) The settlement is visible as earthworks in lidar and was mapped as part of the Northern Cheviot Hills Aerial Investigation and Mapping Project. (8)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : Correspondents Annotated 6" Sheet (Sir Walter de L'Aitchison 1949)
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : F1 EG 04-OCT-55
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 3
Source :
Source details : F2 BHP 22-SEP-69
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 4
Source :
Source details : F3 JRL 12-OCT-76
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details : OS 1:10000 1979
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 6
Source :
Source details : Northumberland
Page(s) : 22
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 7
Source :
Source details : 27/04/1998
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Source Number : 8
Source :
Source details : LIDAR Environment Agency FIRST RETURN 30-MAR-2003
Page(s) :
Figs. :
Plates :
Vol(s) :

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Deserted Settlement, Hollow Way, Toft, Kiln, Ridge And Furrow
Evidence : Earthwork

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : ND 403
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 29344
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : NT 92 SE 20
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Northumberland)
External Cross Reference Number : 1732
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1955-10-04
End Date : 1955-10-04

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1969-09-22
End Date : 1969-09-22

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1976-10-12
End Date : 1976-10-12

Historic England Research Records

Middleton Old Town