MIDDLE: Geographical and Historical information from the year 1824.

"MIDDLE, a parish partly in the Ellesmere division of the hundred of Pimhill, and partly in the liberties of Shrewsbury, a rectory remaining in charge, in the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield, the deanery of Salop, and archdeaconry of Salop. 240 houses, 1,196 inhabitants. 7 miles north-west by north of Shrewsbury.

The Lords Le Strange held Middle by the service of one knight's fee under the Fitz-Alans, earls and lords of Cloane (Clun). In the twentieth of Edward the First a quo warranto against John Le Strange de Infangthef free warren and wayff, in the manors of Ness, Kington, and Middle, who pleads a grant of free warren in Middle, and the other liberties of Ness and Kington he pleads by prescription, which the jurors allowed. This John levied a fine, the twenty seventh of Edward the First, whereby John de Wallascote de Criddon was interested in the manor. The Lord John Le Strange, his son, obtained licence to make a castle of his house at Middle, which lay less exposed to the incursions of the Welsh than his castles of Knockin and Bayton, which often felt the fury of that people. In the third of Edward the third he had a grant of free warren, the view of frankpledge and waif in this manor. In the sixteenth of Edward the third, John Le Strange, and in the forty-eighth of Edward the third, Roger Le Strange, levied fines of the manor of Middle. A settlement made by Richard Le Strange may be found in the Chancery rolls, the eighteenth of Henry the Sixth. In the sixth of Edward the fourth, Roger Kynaston de Middle, Esq. late sheriff of Shropshire, obtained the king's general pardon. In the thirteenth of Edward the Fourth John Molineaux died seized of Middle. In the thirty-ninth of Elizabeth, the queen gives licence to Thomas Barnston, Gent. and Elizabeth, his wife, to sell lands in Middle to Robert Cherleton and his heirs.

As to the present state of Middle, it is merely a straggling hamlet, of very little thoroughfare, pleasantly situated on a hill, with a few ruins, and one prominent tower of the castle. See Kynaston's Cave."

" ALDERTON, a township in the parish of Middle, and in the liberties of Shrewsbury. 7 miles north of Shrewsbury."

" BALDERTON, a township in the parish of Middle, and in the Ellesmere division of the hundred of Pimhill. 4 miles south-west by west of Wem."

" HADNALL (or HADNALL EASE), a township in the parish of Middle, and in the liberties of Shrewsbury. A chapel to Middle, in the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield, the deanery of Salop, and archdeacenry of Salop. 61 houses, 363 inhabitants. 5 miles, north of Shrewsbury.

" HARDWICK SHOTTON, a township in the parish of Middle, and in the liberties of Shrewsbury. 5½ miles north-east by north of Shrewsbury. The seat of General Lord Hill. See appendix."

" HASTON, a township belonging to Hadnall Ease, in the parish of Middle, and in the liberties of Shrewsbury. 5½ miles north- east by north of Shrewsbury."

" LEA, a township in the parish of Middle, and in the hundred of Pimhill."

" MARTON, a township in the parish of Middle, and in the Ellesmere division of the hundred of Pimhill."

" NEWTON ON THE HILL, a township in the parish of Middle, and in the Ellesmere division of the hundred of Pimhill. 7 miles north of Shrewsbury."

" SMETHCOT, a township belonging to Hadnall Ease, in the parish of Middle, and in the liberties of Shrewsbury. 5½ miles north of Shrewsbury."

[Transcribed information from A Gazetteer of Shropshire - T Gregory - 1824](unless otherwise stated)

[Description(s) transcribed by Mel Lockie ©2015]