Middleham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Middleham |
|
|---|---|
 Middleham Marketplace |
|
 Middleham
|
|
| Population | 825 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SE124878 |
| Unitary authority |
|
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LEYBURN |
| Postcode district | DL8 |
| Dialling code | 01969 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
|
Middleham is a small market town and village in North Yorkshire, England. It is located in Wensleydale within the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. The town sits on the south side of the valley, near where the River Ure and River Cover meet. People have lived here since Roman times. In the 1086 Domesday Book, it was called Medelai. The name "Middleham" means "middle village".
Contents
History of Middleham
Even though there is no proof of a Roman town, a Roman country house was found near the castle in the 1800s. A Roman road passed nearby, connecting to other important Roman sites.
Before the Norman Conquest (when William the Conqueror took over England in 1066), the land belonged to Gilpatrick. In 1069, William the Conqueror gave the land to his cousin, Alan Rufus. Alan built a wooden motte-and-bailey castle (a castle with a mound and a fenced yard) above the town. By 1086, Alan had given the castle to his brother, Ribald. You can still see the remains of this early castle at William's Hill.
Construction of the stone Middleham Castle began in 1190. This castle still stands tall over the town today. The Neville family, powerful lords, gained control of the castle in the 1200s. It was even called the "Windsor of the North" because it was so grand.
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, known as "the Kingmaker," owned the castle when his cousin, Richard, Duke of Gloucester (who later became King Richard III), came to learn knight skills in 1462. During the Wars of the Roses (a series of wars for the English throne), both King Edward IV and King Henry VI were held prisoner at Middleham Castle.
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, took over the castle in 1471 after Warwick died. He used it as his main base to rule the North for his brother, King Edward IV. Richard married Warwick's daughter, Anne Neville, in 1472. Their son, Edward, was born at Middleham Castle around 1473 and sadly died there in April 1484. Richard III, who died in August 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth, was the last English king to die in battle.
Under Richard III, Middleham was a busy market town and an important political place. In 1389, the Lord of Middleham was allowed to hold a weekly market and a yearly fair. The town still has two market areas. The lower one has a medieval cross. The upper one has parts of a 15th-century market cross.
Many buildings in the older parts of Middleham were built before 1600. In 1607, Middleham was important enough to have a royal court. The town and its lands belonged to the Crown (the King or Queen) from Richard III's time until King Charles I sold the land in 1628. It has been privately owned ever since.
The Parish Church
The Church of Saints Mary and Alkelda was started in 1291. Most of its architecture is from the 1300s and 1400s. Some stones suggest there was a church here even earlier. The only remaining Norman (from after the Norman Conquest) part is a zigzag pattern above the north aisle. The church has a tall font cover and a copy of the Middleham Jewel, which was found nearby. Near the church is St Alkelda's Well, whose water was once believed to help weak eyes.
In 1478, King Edward IV allowed a hospital for people with leprosy to be built near the church. Today, this area is a horse-training stable, and no signs of the old hospital remain.
Middleham Today
Today, Middleham is famous for horse racing. It is home to many racehorse trainers. The first trainer in Middleham was Isaac Cape in 1765. Now, trainers like Mark Johnston and Jedd O'Keefe work here. Horse racing is the biggest employer in the town, and tourism is the second.
Middleham Castle is now a ruin, but its main tower (called the keep), built in the 1170s, is still standing. Parts of the 13th-century chapel and 14th-century gatehouse also remain.
The town has four pubs, a village shop, a fish and chip shop, and a tea room. There are also places to stay like bed and breakfasts. Middleham has a primary school, a nursery, and a community center called Middleham Key Centre. The Richard III Hotel is a well-known building. The building next to it used to be a tea room and is now a Racing Welfare office, helping stable staff in the area.
How Middleham is Governed
Middleham is part of the Richmond (Yorks) area for the UK Parliament. The person who represents this area in Parliament is called a MP. The current MP is Rishi Sunak, who belongs to the Conservative Party. He was also a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Before him, William Hague was the MP from 1989 to 2015.
The population of Middleham village was 825 in 2011.
Treasures and Old Finds
The Middleham Jewel
In 1985, the Middleham Jewel was found near Middleham Castle by two people using a metal detector. It is a gold pendant from the late 1400s, weighing 68 grams, with a 10-carat blue sapphire stone. This amazing jewel was bought by the Yorkshire Museum in York for £2.5 million.
The pendant has a diamond shape. On the front, it shows the Holy Trinity and has a Latin message to protect against epilepsy. On the back, it shows the Nativity (the birth of Jesus) and has faces of 13 saints.
The back panel slides open to show a hollow space inside. This space originally held tiny silk discs with gold thread. This means the jewel was a reliquary, which held a small piece of holy cloth. A lady of high social standing would have worn it as part of a large necklace. The sapphire stone might have represented Heaven and helped with prayer.
Other Important Finds
Other interesting things found in Middleham include:
- The Middleham Hoard: This was three pots filled with 5,099 silver coins. They were buried during the English Civil War. It is the largest collection of coins like this ever found.
- A livery badge: This was a gilded copper pin with Richard III's symbol, a white boar. It was probably worn by someone who worked for him when he was the Duke of Gloucester.
- The Middleham ring: Found in 1990, this gold ring has the word SOVEREYNLY carved into it.
- A round copper-alloy plaque: This plaque has the letters "R" and "A" and a French saying, A Vo. Plaisir (For your pleasure). This might have been a mark given by Richard, Duke of Gloucester, to his wife Anne.
Media in Middleham
Local news and TV shows come from BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees. You can listen to local radio stations like BBC Radio York and Dales Radio. The town also has local newspapers like The Northern Echo and Darlington & Stockton Times.
Geography and Landscape
Middleham is located between 400 and 500 feet (about 120 to 150 meters) above sea level. The valley of the River Ure below the town is about 325 feet (100 meters) high. The hill to the south-west of the town reaches about 850 feet (260 meters). Most of the land in the area is used for pasture (grazing animals). The ground is mainly limestone, with some sandstone. There is also a known vein of lead in the northern part of the area.
Notable People from Middleham
- Anne Neville (1456–1485): She was the wife of King Richard III of England and spent most of her childhood at Middleham Castle.
- Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales (1473–1484): He was born and died at Middleham Castle.
- Tobias Pullen (1648–1713): A religious writer and bishop, he was born in the town.
- John Baynes (1758–1787): A writer and lawyer, he was born here.
- Job Marson (1817–1857): A famous jockey, he died in Middleham.
- John Osborne Jr. (c. 1833–1922): Another famous jockey.
Twin Town
Middleham is twinned with Azincourt, France.
Images for kids
-
The fountain in Middleham
-
The Old School House in Middleham
See also
In Spanish: Middleham para niños
