MIDDLETON ON THE WOLDS HERITAGE

What makes Middleton worthy of exploration?

Middleton has a rich history. ‘Before the railway came to once-inaccessible Middleton, everything the villagers needed had to be from within the parish, or imported by horse-drawn cart from Driffield, Kiplingcotes or Lockington stations by Middleton’s three ‘carriers.’ The village therefore had to be more self-sufficient, hence the abundance of stores within the settlement.

Source Frank Appleby reporting in The Post, April 30 1992

When cheaper and more regular travel to the towns of Driffield and Beverley became available, the stores lost custom, eventually fading away into the memories of the older inhabitants of Middleton.’

The Contented Village

Middleton Parish far back in time

Our local area is rich in archaeological remains from prehistory including linear crop marks, enclosures and Iron Age square barrow cemeteries. The first tribe of iron age people in this area were the Parisi, who used to bury their dead with a chariot. It is exciting to learn that whilst digging a cutting to Enthorpe for the new railway, in 1888 “a probable Iron Age Chariot Burial was disturbed … and further Iron age and Roman burials were encountered in a chalk pit about 400 m from the current site.” This was at North End House, on Station Road, opposite the school. The recent discovery of a Roman chariot burial at Wetwang conjures up ideas of chariots racing splendidly over the Wolds.

In 1921, further Roman remains were discovered at the chalk quarry at the top of Station Road in Middleton-on-the-Wolds. These included a skeleton, fragments of earthenware, and a notably fine ring, which are now housed in the Hull and East Riding Museum of Archaeology. These findings are documented in the chapter “Roman Remains at Middleton-on-the-Wolds” on pages 80 and 81 of the East Riding Antiquarian Society Transactions, Volume 24 .

During construction at the quarry and factory, human bones and artifacts were unearthed. Excavations revealed a grave with a crouched skeleton, an iron bracelet, and bone beads. The findings, including a well-made bone ring and Roman grey-ware, date back to the second or third century A.D. Additional artifacts from further excavations are now exhibited in the Hull Museum.

Source East Riding Antiquarian Society Transactions, Volume 24, No Date

The image shows four Roman artifacts:

1. Bracelet or Armlet (Top Left): This object has two bulbous ends and appears to be a piece of jewelry, possibly worn around the wrist or arm.
2. Key (Top Right): This elongated object with a looped handle is likely a key, used for locking and unlocking mechanisms.
3. Circular Ring (Bottom Left): This could be a piece of jewelry or part of another artifact, given its circular shape.
4. Irregularly Shaped Item (Bottom Right): This object has an opening and might be part of a tool or another functional item.

These artifacts provide insight into the daily life and craftsmanship of the Roman period.

According to the Director of the Hull museum at the time, “These indicate the proximity of a Roman Villa or small Roman camp and a look-out should be kept for further evidence of the Roman Occupation.” So please, anyone with a metal detector, or a love of digging, please get in touch if anything exciting is unearthed.

In Geoff Wisher’s words in the introduction to his works covering the history of the village:

The Wolds today look prosperous and well tended, especially since the second world war and all the technical innovations in farming, but it was not always so. Archaeologists and historians have been fascinated by mysterious features of the area such as earthworks and entrenchments, different land uses in different times and of course abandoned villages

Source Geoff Wisher’s Introduction to History of Middleton

We hope to add more to the website in this area.

Written by K. Kaye & M. Gillum