Still To Do

The biggest task facing the Trust is the saving of the building across the moat from the Hall, shown above. This was a stable building, which probably also housed the steward of the estate. He would have been responsible for the working of the estate, which at the time this building was constructed (1604) included an ironworks on the site.

The Stone Building                                                       Inside the Stone Building

The earliest building on the site, dating from ca 1290 is a stone structure with an excellent, original barrel vaulted roof. The stonework is in much need of repair and it is hoped that this will be the next task undertaken by the volunteers.

Coach House           Orangery Base

The Coach House was a substantial building with rooms over and would be a very useful addition to the useable space. The former orangery is of interest, representing, as it does, the wide gulf between the materials available to the haves when the have-nots were lucky to get potato soup to live on.

Corner of Walled Garden           Close up of Garden Wall

It would be nice to think that the walled garden had something to do with the heritage associated with Francis Willughby the naturalist and his teacher and friend John Ray. It was almost certainly built when the first Lord Middleton, Thomas Willoughby, son of the naturalist, gentrified the Hall after his ennoblement, but he and his sister, Cassandra, were busy making fine gardens at the house at Wollaton, where they lived for most of the time. The structure of the garden at Middleton is clearly that of a produce garden, sized and configured to support a modest household and rare visits from the owner. Cassandra only records ever visiting Middleton to remove furniture required at Wollaton. She went on to become the creator of a noted garden at Canons after she married her cousin, James Brydges.

The wall is soft, hand-made thin brick and it is in need of considerable attention.