NHER 11962 (Building record) - The Old Hall, Fair Green, Middleton

Old Hall Farm is described in (S1) as a moated site that may have been the original house of the Scales family before they occupied Middleton Towers. The present house is of about 1700 with an addition dated 1753. The only trace of the moat is a landscaped pond to the north.
Information from (S2).

June 1981. Field Observation.
Above information seems to be correct. The older part of the house is the north-to-south wing. This wing is low, of carrstone, not of great interest. The northwest side of the moat is not very landscaped. It has suggestions of the west side, and a pond to the southeast of the house may also be a part. The dovecot is of yellow brick, thatched, and is supposed to be older than the house but looks 18th century.
E. Rose (NAU) 23 June 1981.

1978 NAU air photograph shows a semi-circular lake at the northwest corner, in front of the dovecote.
It does not appear on the 1974 air photograph, and was not noted by E. Rose (NAU) in 1981.
1369 inquisition taken on the death of Robert Scales refers to a deer park.
E. Rose (NLA) 27 May 1993.

1995. Field Observation.
A shallow (0.5m) depression to the south and east of the garden may be a remnant of the moat, but is at a slightly higher level than that noted to the north where the semi-circular lake noted may be a landscaped extension to the northern 'arm'. The garden wall, southeast of the house, is carrstone and brick (some medieval) with half of an octagonal turret as a garden feature projecting into depression. Drainage channels to the south and east of the farm, with one banked and ditched incomplete enclosure to east of drive.
B. Cushion (NLA) March 1995.

For full details of the house, and the dovecote (confirmed as 18th century), see (S3).

February 2005. Field Observation.
The complex includes a range of barns and stables constructed about 1800 which contain a large quantity of reused medieval ecclesiastical stonework.
See (S5) in file.
E. Rose (NLA), 19 February 2005.

2008.
Two of the barns described above are to be converted into dwellings.
See details in file.
H. Hamilton (NLA), 14 March 2008.