MIDDLEHAM
Medelai (xi cent.); Midelham, Middilham (xiii
cent.); Midlam (xvi cent.).
Middleham is picturesquely situated in Wensleydale between the Rivers Ure and Cover, which
unite just beyond the parish. The banks of the
Cover are beautifully wooded. The valley of the
Ure is not more than 325 ft. above ordnance
datum, but the town stands at a height varying
from 400 ft. to 500 ft., and the hills rise to 850 ft.
in the south-western corner of the parish. The upper
soil is mixed. There are modern alluvial terraces
and gravel deposits in the valley, but the subsoil,
though intersected here and there by sandstone with
plate, is chiefly limestone. There is a vein of lead
in the north-west, and the Braithwaite lead mine
stands just within the southern border of the parish.
Coal is found near the Cover. Both lime and stone
are worked. Middleham contains about 2,155 acres
of land, which is for the most part permanent pasture, not quite 145 acres are arable, and only 28 are
wood. (fn. 1)
The town lies upon the road from Ripon to Hawes.
Another road, leading up the Cover valley, connects
Wensleydale with Wharfedale. 'Midleham,' said
Leland, 'is a praty market toun, and standith on a
rokky hille, on the top wherof is the castel meately
welle dikid.' (fn. 2) It is built round an upper and a lower
market-place, the ground rising rapidly towards the
south. With the exception of the rectory, which
contains some mediaeval work incorporated into the
structure, few of the houses are of any antiquity or
interest. The 'Golden Lion,' a small inn in the
lower square, is dated 1682. On the south side of
the upper square is a house with stone-mullioned
windows dated 1719, and adjoining it another with
a 17th-century chimney stack. Opposite is the
modern schoolhouse with a square tower built in
1869, and near it is an 18th-century stone-fronted
house of some pretensions. The post office bears a
circular sundial of 1778, with the motto 'Sic Labitur
Aetas.'
In the lower market-place stand the shaft and steps
of a mediaeval cross, now surmounted by a modern
cross-head of Celtic type. From here roads lead
north, east and west. In the middle of the upper
or swine market is an oblong line of steps, the remains
of a 15th-century market cross, at one end of which
is a much-worn effigy of a recumbent animal and
at the other what is apparently a moulded capital.
Adjoining the swine market is a house known as
Neville Hall. Middleham Hall, which was burnt
down in 1889, only the stables remaining, stood at
the south-west corner of the swine market. Middleham House, just south of the church, is the
residence of Mr. Lupton Topham. Near by are
the almshouses, built in 1752. The houses in Middleham are varied in construction, but are mostly of
plastered stone; they include some of the larger 18thcentury classical type. Close by Middleham House
is the well of St. Alkelda, (fn. 3) who is joined with the
Virgin Mary in the dedication of the church. The
church is prominently placed by the road (fn. 4) leading
north from the lower market-place. There are
Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels. (fn. 5) The
'litle hospital with a chapel of Jesus,' mentioned
by Leland, may have stood in the Chapel Fields, (fn. 6)
on the south-east of Middleham. In this direction,
near Straight Lane, were discovered the remains of a
hypocaust. (fn. 7)
Castle
The castle, as Leland said, 'joynith
hard to the toun side' on the south. (fn. 8)
The earliest castle was built to command the road through Coverdale from Richmond
to Skipton. Its motte, known as William's Hill,
lies in Sunskew Park to the south of the village. (fn. 9)
It was superseded by a castle on the mount and
bailey plan built on rather lower ground north of
the early castle by Robert (fn. 10) son of Ralph son of
Ribald. (fn. 11) It is mentioned in the Mappa Mundi,
written about 1200. (fn. 12) King John ordered Nicholas
de Stapleton to occupy it in his name in 1216, (fn. 13) but
it followed the descent of the manor (q.v.). It
was afterwards added to by the Nevills. (fn. 14)
Though never within the reach of events more
stirring than a Scottish raid or a short-lived rebellion,
Middleham derives historic fame from its lords, passing
as it did from the great family of Nevill to the Crown.
Henry IV visited it in 1410 and Edward IV in
1461. (fn. 15) Under Richard III, and under his fatherin-law Warwick the King-maker, the town had a
brief experience of mediaeval pomp and luxury, (fn. 16) and
also of the horrors incidental to warfare. (fn. 17) Edward,
the only child of Richard III and Anne Nevill, was
born in Middleham Castle. (fn. 18)
The castle remained Crown property until 1604,
when James I granted it to Sir Henry Lindley, (fn. 19) who
died in 1609, and was succeeded by his brother
John. (fn. 20) John Lindley died in 1613, his heir being
his son Arthur. (fn. 21) Jane, daughter and co-heir of
Arthur, married Edward, afterwards second Viscount
Loftus and Marquess of Ely, (fn. 22) and inherited Middleham. (fn. 23) In 1652 Lord Loftus declared that mortgagees had foreclosed on the castle. (fn. 24) He retained
an interest in it, however, until 1661 or 1662, when
he, his wife and Alice Lindley, widow, appear to
have sold it, (fn. 25) probably to the lord of the manor, who
was in possession by 1695. (fn. 26) From this time it again
followed the descent of the manor (q.v.).
In 1538, when the castle was surveyed, it consisted
of a portcullis, a tower over the gate-house, 'the
mantill wall,' a chapel and revestry, a round tower
overgrown with 'yvinge,' the privy or lady chamber,
whence a gallery led to the 'chamber of presens,'
the 'nursee' in the south-west tower, the 'sware
house' in the north-west tower, the 'dongion at the
hall doyre,' the great hall, the great chamber, a little
tower over the garderobe, the bell-house tower, the
audit chamber with its kitchen, 'a fair well,' houses
of offices within the fortress, &c. There were great
iron gates at the going in of the castle. (fn. 27) In 1609
mention is made of the 'Crosse house,' one part of it
called the 'Auditt house,' 'wherein it seemeth the
Auditor lodged,' and the other called the Exchequer,
wherein the rents were received. (fn. 28) While in the hands
of the Crown the castle was inhabited by keepers only,
who neglected and despoiled it. (fn. 29) In April 1537,
after the Pilgrimage of Grace, orders were given to
repair it 'to receive the king.' (fn. 30) In 1609 it was
stated that it had not been lived in for 140 years. (fn. 31)
But it was subsequently occupied by the Lindley
family. (fn. 32) Four tenements with gardens had been
built just outside the moat before 1619, when a wall
divided them from it. (fn. 33) The low wall on the east
and south is said to have been built by Col. Wood
towards the middle of the 19th century. (fn. 34) Middleham Castle has never, so far as is known, suffered a
siege, (fn. 35) but it was fortified in 1654 and garrisoned
twice during the Civil War. (fn. 36) In 1655 a Royalist
attempt on it was anticipated, and Col. Lilburne
garrisoned it with thirty men. Prisoners of war
were also confined there about the same time. (fn. 37)
The present castle consists of a rectangular keep
of the second half of the 12th century, with a 13thcentury chapel projecting at right angles from its
east face, the whole standing in an irregular four-sided
inclosure, with angle towers, a north-east gateway,
and ranges of buildings on the north, south and west,
no part of which is earlier than the 14th century.
The chapel, or a building running eastward from it,
seems to have extended beyond the east wall of this
inclosure, but of this extension foundations only
remain. The whole castle is roofless, but a great
deal of its masonry remains, and has of late years
been carefully repaired and cleared of rubbish and
fallen stone.
The keep has its greatest dimensions north and
south, and is of two stories, divided longitudinally
into two divisions by an internal wall. The main
entrance is by a staircase along its eastern wall,
starting near the north-east angle and landing at the
upper floor level, opening into the screens at the
south end of the great hall. The stair, except for its
lower steps, was covered by a forebuilding of which
only traces now remain. In the south-east angle of
the keep a fine circular stair leads upward to the
parapets and downward to kitchens and offices in the
basement. The hall was lighted at the south end by
two large round-headed windows, and by one at the
north end; at its north-east angle a door leads to a
small vaulted oratory with piscina and credence.
On the east are three large windows, coming nearly
to the floor level, and one which is narrower and
higher in the wall, with traces of steps in its south
jamb. Over the windows is a corbel course, from
which the original roof sprang, but at a later date a
clearstory has been added, c. 1350, with three wide
segmental-headed windows on each side. At the
south-west of the hall is a passage to a garderobe in a
turret projecting from the south face of the keep.
The south end of the hall was divided off by a tall
wooden screen with a loft over it, reached by a stair
from the parapet. The chamber below the hall was
vaulted with a barrel vault of two spans, having a row
of five round pillars down the middle, and was lighted
from the north and south only. It was used doubtless
for storage, the kitchen being in the western half of
the keep at this level at the south end, occupying
about half the length of this division. In it is a well.
It was covered with a ribbed vault in three bays, and
to the north of it three more vaulted bays, divided
into two chambers, took up the remaining space, the
northern of these, which was a wine cellar, containing
a second well. The rooms on the hall level in this
half of the keep were the great chamber and living
rooms, and in a turret projecting on the west side
were garderobes; there was also at this point a bridge
connecting the keep with the west range of the
inclosure, which at this point was carried up as a
second garderobe tower. There was another bridge
from the keep, at its south-west angle, to the first
floor of the south range.
The chapel, on the east side of the keep, opened
at the hall level from the head of the stairs opposite
to the entrance door into the hall, and was added to
the keep in the 13th century, the windows of its
vaulted basement being round-headed, as if to harmonize with the appearance of the neighbouring
windows in the keep. The eastern part of the chapel
is completely destroyed with its basements.
There was doubtless some inclosing
wall round the keep from the first, but
nothing of it remains, the present
irregularly built ranges having been set
up at three different dates, all apparently in the 14th century. At first
they consisted of the gate-house at the
north-east, the towers at the other
three angles, and comparatively low
curtain walls connecting them, with
buildings against its inner face. The
curtain walls have been twice heightened
and the buildings altered in various
ways which their ruinous condition has
considerably obscured. Of late years
they have been cleared of rubbish and
earth, exposing various dividing walls
till then hidden, but too little is left
to make the original dispositions clear.
The ordinary domestic offices, together
with lodgings or sets of rooms for
guests, were contained in them, and
remains of ovens and fireplaces in the
south and west ranges give some evidence of use. The gate-house is the
most interesting part architecturally,
with its vaulted gate-hall and the guard
room on the east. The round tower
at the south-west angle of the castle,
known as Prince's Tower, though a
mere shell, is externally well preserved,
though partly hidden by wooden buildings which have encroached on the line
of the castle ditch at this point. On
the south side, which is free from buildings, the line of the ditch is better
preserved.
The history of the parks of Middleham is complicated by the fact that in
numerous documents no distinction
is drawn between those within the parish and those
in other parts of the lordship. (fn. 38) This lordship seems
to have been connected with the forest of Wensleydale. In 1607 it was stated that 'all tenants and
inhabitants within the said forest . . . are subject
and compellable to answere all actions, suits and
plaints, in his Majesty's courts of Richmond or
Middleham.' (fn. 39) Its customs were those of the honour
of Richmond (q.v.). In 1534 it was valued at £800
a year, and said to contain 'seven goodly parks and
as many forest chases.' (fn. 40)
Middleham Castle: Interior of Eastern Part of Keep
On the south-west of the town lies the Low Moor,
a celebrated training ground for race-horses. The
East, or Sunskew, Park is on the south; 'the Parks' are
on the north-west and include the West Park noticed
by Leland in the 16th century. (fn. 41) The East and West
Parks were probably made by Ralph Nevill, who
obtained licence to impark his wood of Middleham
in 1335. (fn. 42) By 1367 (fn. 43) there were two parks and a
pasture called the West Field. Both Sunskew (Ulgrescogh, Sonscough, xv cent.) and the West Park
are mentioned in 1465–6. (fn. 44) The West Park was
leased by Edward Loftus to Miles Stapleton in
1653 for a term of ten years. (fn. 45)
Thornis Breeres, Brushell and Gedpoyle are placenames in Middleham mentioned about 1480, (fn. 46) Helpoole, Wysings, Burgh close, Burgha mead, Huggerscue, a close in the East Field called Chappell
Close, Chequer Hill and Close, Kild-pool, Kylmers
and Rayles occur in the 17th century. (fn. 47)
The two mills mentioned in 1541 (fn. 48) may possibly
have been Ulshaw Mill in East Witton parish,
and Middleham or Leaz alias Leaze Mill, at one or
other of which the tenants were bound to grind their
corn in the 17th century. Before 1672 Leaze Mill
had been pulled down owing to frequent shortages of
water and replaced by two mills under the roof of
Ulshaw Mill. (fn. 49) From this date there was probably
no mill in Middleham.
Nevill of Middleham. Gules a saltire argent.
Manor
MIDDLEHAM formed part of the
land of Count Alan in 1086 and became
parcel of the honour of Richmond (q.v.).
In the time of Edward the Confessor a 'manor'
and 5 carucates were held by Ghilepatric, (fn. 50) and
these, with other of his lands, were given by Count
Alan to his younger brother Ribald, tenant in
1086. (fn. 51) Middleham was then waste. Ribald was
succeeded by his son Ralph, to whom Middleham
was confirmed by Count Stephen of Britanny. (fn. 52)
Ralph is mentioned in 1130, and was still living in
1167–8. (fn. 53) Robert son of Ralph, the reputed builder
of the castle, seems to have succeeded by 1177 at
latest; he received the forestry of Wensleydale from
Earl Conan. (fn. 54) His heir is generally believed to have
been Ranulph son of Robert, (fn. 55) a minor at the time of his
father's death. (fn. 56) He was in a sense the founder of
Coverham Abbey. (fn. 57) Ralph son of Ranulph did homage
for his land in 1252 (fn. 58) and died in 1270. (fn. 59) His
lands were thereupon divided between his three
daughters and co-heirs, Mary
wife of Robert Nevill son of
the lord of Raby, Joan wife
of Robert de Tateshall, and
Anastasia, a minor in the
wardship of the king. (fn. 60) The
homage of Robert and Mary
de Nevill was taken in 1270. (fn. 61)
The 'Lady of Middleham,' (fn. 62)
as Mary was called, settled
the castle and manor of Middleham upon herself, with remainder to her son Ranulph
for life, with reversion to his
son Robert and his heirs, and
died in 1320. (fn. 63) Robert her grandson, the 'Peacock
of the North,' (fn. 64) died without issue in his father's
lifetime, and Ranulph, first Lord Nevill of Raby, (fn. 65)
dying in 1331, was succeeded by his son Ralph. (fn. 66)
He died in 1367. (fn. 67) His heir was his son John,
who won renown in the French and Scottish wars, (fn. 68)
married a wealthy heiress and died in 1388. He
was succeeded by a son Ralph, aged twenty-four. (fn. 69)
To win Ralph's support Richard II created him Earl
of Westmorland in 1397 and gave him the royal
honour of Penrith, but his second marriage with
Joan Beaufort kept him a staunch Lancastrian. (fn. 70) He
died in 1425, and was found to have held Middleham
jointly with Joan. (fn. 71) During her widowhood Joan
let Middleham to her eldest son by Ralph, Richard
Earl of Salisbury, (fn. 72) and she took care that it should
pass to him after her death and not to her husband's
heirs. (fn. 73) The prolonged feud between the descendants
of the two wives of the first Earl of Westmorland
had no small influence on the politics of the day, the
elder branch being as strongly Yorkist (fn. 74) as the younger
was Lancastrian. The Earl of Salisbury was executed
in 1460 after the Yorkist victory of Wakefield, and
when his son Warwick the Kingmaker fell at Barnet
in 1471 (fn. 75) Middleham was confiscated by Edward IV.
In the same year the king granted the manor and
castle to his brother Richard Duke of Gloucester, (fn. 76)
who afterwards married the younger co-heiress of
Warwick. With the accession of Richard III in
1483 Middleham again became Crown property, and so
remained until Charles I sold
it to the City of London about
1628. (fn. 77) In 1661 the City
sold the manor to Thomas
Wood of Littleton, afterwards
Ranger of Hampton Court. (fn. 78)
It descended to his son Edward
in 1723 and to Robert son of
Edward in 1743. Robert's
heir in 1748 was his brother
Thomas Wood. Thomas Wood
son of Thomas inherited it in
1799. He died in 1835, and was succeeded by his
son Thomas, who died in 1860. It then descended
to Thomas, son of the last-named. On his death in
1872 he was succeeded by a son Thomas (fn. 79) ; he sold
Middleham in 1889 to Mr. Samuel Cunliffe Lister,
later Lord Masham, whose son, the second Lord
Masham, is the present owner of the manor.
Wood of Littleton. Sable a bull passant argent.
Various liberties were possessed by the lords of
Middleham. Mary of Middleham claimed free
warren in Middleham under a charter of Henry III (fn. 80) ;
the liberty was confirmed to Ralph Nevill in 1331. (fn. 81)
Their successors had also common of pasture throughout the whole of Wensleydale. (fn. 82) Free chase in
Coverdale was claimed by Mary of Middleham, (fn. 83)
and free chase in Wensleydale was granted to Richard
Duke of Gloucester in 1475. (fn. 84) A free fishery was
also claimed. (fn. 85)
In 1389 Ralph Nevill received a grant of a market
every Monday and a yearly fair on the feast of
St. Alkelda the Virgin. (fn. 86) In 1479 Richard Duke of
Gloucester obtained a court of pie-powder and a fair
on Thursday in Whitsun week and the three days
following and another on the feast of St. Simon and
St. Jude and the three subsequent days. (fn. 87) Fairs were
held in Middleham in 1849 on Easter Monday, on
Whit Monday and on 5 and 6 November. (fn. 88) The
weekly market has fallen into disuse, but the annual
fair, which is one of the most important fairs for
cattle, sheep and horses in the north of England, (fn. 89)
takes place on 5 and 6 November. Shops, shambles,
market tolls and a farm, called 'shewing silver,' were
among the possessions of the lordship leased to Lord
Paget in 1574. (fn. 90)
A court of Middleham is mentioned in about
1466. (fn. 91) The regard of the forest of Middleham is
alluded to in 1539 (fn. 92) and the manor court in 1616. (fn. 93)
A court baron is mentioned in 1633 (fn. 94) and court leet
and court baron in 1672. (fn. 95)
Church
The church, formerly the collegiate
church of ST. MARY AND ST. ALKELDA, consists of a chancel 27 ft. by
16 ft. 8 in. with north organ chamber and vestry,
and a south chapel, nave 55 ft. 6 in. by 19 ft. 5 in.,
north aisle 9 ft. 9 in. and south aisle 9 ft. 4 in. wide,
south porch and west tower 14 ft. 2 in. square, all
internal measurements.
A few stones indicate the existence of a 12thcentury church upon the site, but none of its walls
are standing at the present time. The earliest church
of which the plan can be traced dates from about
1280 and consisted of a nave with narrow aisles and
a chancel of the same length as at present, but of less
width. The capitals of the nave arcades are of comparatively poor section, but they appear to be of an
early date much recut. In the 14th century (about
1340) the chancel was widened, its north and east
walls being retained and its south wall being moved
out to line with the south arcade; the buttress at
the east end of the new south wall was built against
the older buttress. Later a chapel was added on the
south side of the chancel by continuing the aisle eastward; the east window of this chapel is somewhat
earlier in style and is presumably a re-used one from
another part. It may have been in the south wall of
the chancel before the chapel was built, but one is
tempted to believe that it originally formed the east
window of the 13th-century chancel. (fn. 96) The side
windows of the aisles appear to have required renewing late in the 15th century, for the present windows
all date from that period. The clearstory is also of
the same date. The tower is perhaps a few years
earlier. The vestry and organ chamber are a modern
addition, replacing a sacristy said to have been of
14th-century date, (fn. 97) and there have been several
modern restorations in which the piers with their
capitals and bases, besides other parts, have been
scraped or retooled, not always to their advantage.
The chancel was widened in 1901 on the north side,
when a new arch was inserted in the north wall.
The east window is of four trefoiled ogee-headed
lights with reticulated tracery under a two-centred
arch. It has two sunk quarter-round orders and
is all of 14th-century date except the sill and a
few other stones which have been renewed in
modern times. Below the window are two small
blocked rectangular lights, which look as if they
had lighted a crypt, for which the fall of the
ground would give space. The buttresses of the
13th-century chancel are still in place and the south
14th-century buttress is built against the older one.
A small buttress stands below the east window; it is
midway between the other 13th-century buttresses
(and therefore not central with the window) and is
contemporary with them. The chancel is lighted
high up on the north side by four small modern
quatrefoil windows, and a modern two-centred archway opens into the organ chamber. The south wall
has a square-headed window of three trefoiled lights
with sunk spandrels over; the section of the jambs
is similar to that of the east window, but the
window is somewhat later in date, being probably an
insertion of the 15th century. Its label, which differs
from the other, is more characteristic of the later
style. The window-ledge inside is low enough to
form a seat. A wide double-chamfered three-centred
arch without labels opens from the chancel into the
south chapel; it dies on to the wall on its east side
and on the west springs without break from an
octagonal pier, which also acts as the respond of the
chancel arch. The latter is of the same detail as the
south arch and both are old, but have been scraped
or recut. The north jamb of the chancel arch is 1 ft.
further north than the chancel wall, which slopes back
to meet it.
The modern north vestry and organ chamber is
lighted by a two-light modern east window with
trefoiled ogee heads under a two-centred arch of 14thcentury style and a pair of two-light windows in the
north wall with trefoiled half-round heads; the head
of the western window is old (of the 15th century),
and presumably was taken from the former east wall
of the aisle, which is now replaced by an arch to the
new part.
The south chapel has an east window of three
trefoiled lights, over which are three trefoiled
spherical triangles, all under a two-centred arch of
two chamfered orders with a simple label. The
window is old (except the restored mullions and
sill), and, as mentioned above, is evidently earlier
than the chapel. The south window of the chapel is
of two trefoiled ogee-headed lights with a quatrefoil
over; it is of 14th-century date, but the mullions
and sills are modern renewals.
The two nave arcades each have four bays with
arches of the same detail as the chancel arch and
octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases.
The former have abaci, square-edged above, with a
roll below, a plain hollow-chamfered 'bell' and a
round necking; the bases have a chamfer below a roll
mould, the roll mould follows the octagonal form of
the pier and changes in the chamfer to a square
bottom member. A great deal of retooling has been
done to both arcades. Above the arcades is a clearstory lighted on both sides by three windows of two
trefoiled lights each under a square head.
The north wall of the north aisle contains three
windows; each is of two trefoiled round-headed
lights (similar to those of the clearstory) with
hollow-chamfered jambs, continuous mullions and
sunk spandrels in a square head, over which is a label
chamfered above and hollowed below. They are all
old (of the 15th century), but have been renewed in
parts. The west window of the aisle has two trefoiled
ogee-headed lights, above which is a quatrefoil in a
two-centred head. There is a blocked doorway
between the north-west window and the end buttress.
It has old jambs of a small chamfered order and a
restored pointed arch. The windows in the south
wall consist of a three-light window between two of
two lights; all are of the same design and date as
those opposite. The west window differs only from
that of the north aisle in that the quatrefoil in its
head reaches to the apex of the arch, while the other
does not.
The south doorway has 13th-century jambs of
three somewhat undercut rolls dying into a square
abacus; the arch is of later date, with an old label
re-used. Over this doorway is a 14th-century carving
of the Crucifixion with our Lady and St. John.
This stone was formerly in a cottage in the town and
was brought here some years ago. In the east wall
of the porch is an old perished corbel capital evidently
not in its original place. The porch is modern.
The opening into the tower has a double-chamfered two-centred drop arch. The west window is
of 15th-century date, but has been partly restored;
it has three cinquefoiled lights with tracery. The
tower is of two stages externally, but has three floors.
The first floor has a single modern trefoiled light on
the south side. The bell chamber is lighted in each
wall by a plain square-headed window of two cinquefoiled lights; they have been greatly restored. At
the west angles are diagonal buttresses of six stages
reaching to about half-way up the belfry stage. The
embattled parapet is modern. The stair-turret rises
in the south-west corner and is lighted by three slits
in its lower part. The walling of the church generally is of rubble with wrought quoins; in the east
wall of the chancel is built an ancient carved stone
with interlaced work, and a bit of cheveron ornament
of the 12th century can be seen in the north wall of
the aisle. The roofs are modern and low pitched.
The font is modern and has marble shafts to its
stem. The old one was recently recovered and stands
now in the north aisle; it is octagonal, of a fairly
simple section and probably of 14th-century date.
Over the font in use is a fine wood canopy, partly of
15th-century date and partly modern, the older part
having been found some years ago in a stable. It is
of three traceried stages, of which the lowest one is
new; the upper stages have two trefoiled piercings in
each face, crocketed and finialled, while there are
crocketed pinnacles at the corners. In the west
window of the north aisle are fragments of the 14thcentury glass which was formerly in the east window
and represented the strangling of St. Alkelda.
In the tower, built into the north wall, is a gravestone brought from Jervaulx Abbey. On it are a
mitre and crozier, the head of the latter between two
shields of late form, on one of which are the letters
? and on the other an ? with the crossed spears
and sponge on a reed. Below the mitre are the
initials R T and a tun; the ground is covered with
foliage in low relief, usually called thorn leaves, to
make the rebus, but bearing no resemblance to the
natural leaf. The inscription around reads: 'Orate
pro anima domini Roberti Thorneton Abbatis hujus
domus Jorevallis vicesimi secundi.' At the four
corners of the slab are quatrefoils inclosing M.
Under the altar steps is said to be a brass with an
almost obliterated black-letter inscription to 'Thomas
Byrnham gent. MCCCC . . . .' There are several
other monuments of 18th and 19th-century date of
more or less interest. A plate in the first pillar of
the south arcade of the nave records the supposed
discovery of the bones of St. Alkelda in 1878. The
silver image of the saint was evidently hidden from
the royal commissioners at the Reformation, for in
1559 William Wyll, dean and parson of Middleham,
bequeathed to his 'paryche churche of Mydelham
to wearkyng of a bell, the thyrde bell and smaillyste,
a boylle of sylver, the greateste, and all the sylver in
the . . . in the churche of Mydlam that was of
Saynt Alkyld heyd, and a peice of Saynte Alkyld
head that is in my chyst in y . . . yf that they
wyll by a bell or els not.' (fn. 98)
There are eight bells, all cast by Taylor of Loughborough in 1911. Six of these are recastings of the
former ring of six bells, cast in 1824.
The plate consists of a plain communion cup and
paten presented 1775, but with no date stamp, and a
small silver-gilt cup of 1786.
The registers begin in 1604.
Advowson
The church is first mentioned in
1281, when Mary of Middleham
was the patron. (fn. 99) The lords of the
manor had the patronage until the sale of Middleham to the City of London, when the advowson of
the rectory was retained by the Crown. (fn. 100) It was
transferred to the Bishop of Ripon in 1874,
having been endowed in 1857 with all the land and
tithes formerly belonging to the deanery. (fn. 101) Middleham Church was made collegiate (fn. 102) by Richard
Duke of Gloucester, with a dean, six chaplains, four
clerks and six choristers, (fn. 103) in 1479, under a licence
of 1478 (fn. 104) ; and in 1481 the first dean obtained a
charter of exemption from episcopal jurisdiction. (fn. 105) A
charter of exemption from archidiaconal jurisdiction
was subsequently secured. (fn. 106) Less than a century later,
however, Leland said of Middleham 'It hath beene,
as sum wene, a collegiate chirch,' and stated that
Henry VII took the new college land away. (fn. 107) Its
privileges appear to have been revived in the reign of
Charles II. (fn. 108) The collegiate foundation was finally
suppressed by Act of Parliament in 1845. (fn. 109)
Perhaps the most remarkable Dean of Middleham
was the eccentric but public-spirited Dean Nickolls
appointed in 1786. (fn. 110)
The chantry of our Lady in the parish church was
established by John Cartmell, clerk, under a licence
in 1470, (fn. 111) to pray for the souls of the founder,
Richard late Earl of Salisbury and Alice his wife
at the altar of St. Mary the Virgin. The chantry
house was granted in fee to Francis Morrice and
Francis Phillips, the 'fishing grantees,' in 1610–11. (fn. 112)
Charities
The Poor's estate, known as the
Doles Charity, was, as appeared from
the table of benefactions, acquired in
part from the gift of John Holdsworth, 1696, and
in part purchased with legacies and donations of
Christopher Todd, 1722, and others. The trust
property consists of about 5 a. and cattle gates, producing £25 10s. a year. In 1904 the sum of
£21 11s. was distributed at Easter and Christmas
among twenty-nine recipients, and £2 was paid as
an apprentice fee apparently in respect of the nextmentioned charity.
In 1706 Robert Dixon by will charged a close
in Middleham with 40s. a year for putting out a
poor boy apprentice.
In 1792 William Tennant by will left £50, the
interest to be paid to the schoolmaster for instructing
two boys in reading, writing and accounts. The
principal sum has, it is understood, been invested in
railway stock.
The Bridge Trust, founded in 1829–30, is regulated by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners
1887, whereby the income of a house and 26 p.,
amounting to £5 10s., is directed to be applied for
any useful purpose.
In 1850 Mrs. Jenny Sewell, by deed dated 9 October in that year, founded a charity for the benefit
of Wesleyan ministers in the Middleham circuit.
The trust property consists of the manse at Middleham, a cottage adjoining let at £4 a year, a sum
of £90 2s. 3d. consols, and of £422 10s. India
£3 10s. per cent. stock, held by the official trustees,
producing in annual dividends £17 0s. 8d.
By an order of the Charity Commissioners of
16 May 1905 the superintendent minister of the
Wensleydale mission circuit and the circuit stewards
of the Middleham section of the said circuit were
appointed to be the trustees for the administration
of the charity.
For the charity of Francis Walker towards the support of Wesleyan ministers of Middleham circuit see
under Spennithorne, Bellerby township.
The National school was conveyed by deed, 1868,
as a memorial to the Rev. J. A. Birch, a former rector.