Cassandra continued to keep house at Wollaton after her older brother died, but now with Thomas as head of the household. She has been credited with oranising a substantial refurbishment of Wollaton Hall and was noted as an efficient housekeeper.
Thomas (1672 - 1729) became the first Lord Middleton in 1711. He married Elizabeth Rothwell. The title chosen by Thomas
was related to his place of birth. There were already a number of Lords Willoughby. Wollaton would have been an
alternative, since that was where the family had long had their principal residence. After he was ennobled Thomas took some pains to improve the property. He it was that was responsible for the Georgian West Wing and the extension to the Great Hall. This comprised a full height segment that contained the grand staircase behind two fluted columns that are now considered to be incongruous. This section replaced a gallery, evidence for which can still be seen in the timber framing at the north face of the Hall. This would have connected the guest accomodation at the north east corner of the Hall to the Great Hall itself in the Tudor building.
The gallery was as shown in a drawing by the Trust's historic buildings advisor, Dr Stanley Jones.
Thomas was also responsible for the creation of the walled garden. It is too far from the house to have been a kitchen garden and is almost certainly a specimen garden, much in fashion at the time, as exotics came into the country from America and Africa. There can be no doubt that Thomas took an interest in natural history. There are several references to him in the writings of John Ray, notably in assisting Ray in his enquiries into hydrology by answering questions on the behaviour of water in the coal mines, from which the Willoughby's derived their wealth.
