MANOR HOUSE FARM
Manor House Farm, Front Street (1856-1970)
Demolished in 1970, despite local objections.
The most impressive farm in the village must have been Manor House Farm, also called Manor Farm, which was on the site of the Robin Hood Inn‘s carpark! You can see the original brickwork today.
In 1856, the farmhouse walls are recorded as being 3 feet thick. When sold in 1932, the farmhouse is described as “substantially built of brick and tiled and contains 7 bedrooms with 2 separate staircases, dining room, drawing room, kitchen with large oven, back kitchen, dairy, 2 cellars and pantry.” Not so grand were the floors, made of mud.
The family who lived here also left an impressive record. Originally from Flanders, the Witty family included Doctor Robert Witty, who helped to popularize Scarborough as a spa in the 17th Century. References to the family in Middleton go back to 1534 when Peter Wittye left goods to his wife and son.
At the time of the Civil War, the Witty family supported the Royalist cause and Philipp Wittie was fined £14 in 1645 for assisting the enemy when Queen Henrietta Maria (wife of Charles 1st) landed at Bridlington. Later references include Philip Witty as Parish Constable in 1672 and in 1795 William Witty was an assessor for the land tax. In the 1840s and 50s, Christopher Witty was a brewer and publican in South Street. In 1935, the Driffield Times carried a report on the final departure of the family from the farm when Mr & Mrs Charles Harold Witty left to take up residence at Park Farm, Barthorpe, severing a connection of nearly three hundred years. Frank Hepworth took over.
The rather splendid name came from an ancient Manor House that was used as a court for agricultural matters as the venue for meetings of the Manorial Court. A manorial court was a local court held by the lord of the manor during the feudal period in England. The manorial court had jurisdiction over the tenants of the manor, dealing with local disputes, land transactions, and breaches of the manor’s customs.
The court was presided over by the lord’s steward or seneschal, and various officials like the reeve and hayward were appointed to oversee different aspects of the manor. Manorial courts began to decline in the 17th century and were generally obsolete by the 18th century. These courts played a crucial role in the administration of manorial estates, providing a system of local governance and justice.
The manor of Middleton sounds rather grand. In Geoff Wisher’s own words, “The eventual demolition of the building after the war, without thought being given to restoration, robbed the village of an interesting piece of history.”
Written by the Green Group, source for all information, Geoff Wisher, Heritage Sheet 4
Source unknown, date unknown
The Farmers and Farms of Middleton (Early 2000s)
As recalled by Pam Linford in the early 2000s, remembering the farms of her younger days:
- Soanes: Church Hill
- Speck: Manor Farm and Clayfields Farm
- Newlove: Front Street (opposite school)
- Berryman: Back Street (now South Street)
- Hutchinson: opposite the Berryman’s
- Swallow: Beverley Road
- Walker: Station Road
- Shipley: Station Road
If you have any memories of these farms or farmers, please get in touch.
Source: Geoff Wisher, Middleton Messenger No 57
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