This post, the third in the series detailing the rooms and contents of Middleton Hall as described in the 1676 inventory, focuses on the room identified as “The Garret”. At this time, Middleton Hall had only one building with a garret. Today, it would be referred to as the attic of the John Ray Building. When the John Ray Building was constructed in 1647, it included a new architectural feature that had only been introduced to England in the mid-17th century. This was the cre

This post, the second in the series detailing the rooms and contents of Middleton Hall as described in the 1676 inventory, focuses on the three rooms named as “Mr Ray’s Chamber”, “Mr Ray’s Study” and “The Room Betwixt Mr Ray’s and The Still Chamber”. These are the only rooms that specifically mention John Ray by name. The fact that he is named is one of the reasons that the inventory is believed to date from about 1676, which was when he left Middleton Hall. John Ray resided

Middleton Hall’s continually evolving form is one of its unique architectural characteristics and a large part of the form that it has today is due to John Averill’s Renovation. This Renovation began soon after John Averill, a farmer and industrialist, and his family took up residence at Middleton Hall. Although John had purchased Middleton Hall at auction in December 1924, the purchase did not immediately evict the existing tenant and thus John did not take up immediate resi

2025 is, roughly, the 300th anniversary of the Georgian Renovation of the John Ray Building, which is believed to have taken place in about 1725. A large amount of the form of the John Ray Building today is the result of this Renovation. Before this Renovation, the John Ray Building, which had been constructed in 1647, was a typical box timber-frame structure with a gable roof. Afterwards, it did not essentially have either of these. At the time of its first construction, a l

The Georgian Renovation of Middleton Hall was one of two major renovations in its history that completely changed its appearance. It began in 1707 and was not completed until 1762. This Renovation was started by Thomas Willoughby, 1st Lord Middleton, but he could only begin it with the permission of his mother Emma (nee Barnard) because Middleton Hall was still her dower house at that time. Neither Emma nor Thomas nor even Thomas’ son, Francis Willoughby 2nd Lord Middleton, l