" This small parish extends northward from the parishes of Henny , and is not more than two miles in circumference . This and the neighbouring parishes bordering the river Stour present an agreeable variety of hills and gentle slopes , and level meadow grounds ; the soil is described as a fine , sound , friable sandy loam , degenerating on the hills , and becoming more strong , harsh , and clayey . * It is about one mile south - east from Sudbury , in Suffolk . The village consists of a small number of good houses ; the residence of - Moss , Esq . is a handsome building , by the side of the green ; and the parsonage - house oppo- site the church is a capital mansion , with ornamental shrubberies and pleasant walks . Nine sochmen held the lands of this parish , under Earl Algar , before the Conquest ; afterwards , it was given to Gislebert the priest , and to Richard Fitz - Gislebert ; and fifteen acres of it had been wrongfully taken possession of by Robert Malet . The manor of Middleton , in the time of King Edward the Third , belonged to an ancient family named Theobald , who afterwards took the surname of Sudbury , a branch of the family making that town the place of their residence; Simon de Sudbury, archbishop of Canterbury , founding the college of St. Gregory , in his native place , in 1373 , besides other possessions , endowed it with the manor of Middleton , which , on the suppression of monastic institutions , passed to the crown . * It was granted , by Henry the Eighth , in 1544 , to Sir Thomas Paston , of Paston , in Norfolk , who , on his death in 1550 , was succeeded by his son Henry , whose successors were Edward , a second Edward , and Clement , of the same family . The Windham family , of Fel- bridge , in Norfolk , were a considerable time in possession of this estate . The Fenn family succeeded , and are the present proprietors . The mansion-house of Middleton Hall is a building of some antiquity , with modern improvements , situated pleasantly , near the road to Ballingdon , and about a quarter of a mile from the church. The Gate-house is a capital estate in this parish . The church has an appearance of great antiquity; the arch of the door is semi- circular , ornamented with numerous chevron , or indented mouldings , and finishing with one of the billetted form . This arch is supported by three - quarter columns , with Norman capitals . The windows are small , and the church very dark within . A small wooden turret contains one bell . In the chancel , a black marble slab bears the sculpture of a man , of white marble : various ornaments surround this effigy , and of the inscription only a part remains , which is as follows : - " Hic jacet Dominus Jacobus Samison ; quondam rector ecclesia hujus Middleton , qui obiit Anno Domino MCCCXLIX . " In English : " Here lies master James Samison ; formerly rector of the church of Middleton , who died in the year of our Lord 1349. " In the church-yard is the following : " In memory of John Polley , a faithful , honest , and industrious steward , for many years , at Middleton Hall , in the family of Thomas Fenn , Esq . who , in grateful remem- brance of his services , has erected this stone ; he died , March 2d , 1823 , aged seventy- six years . Well done , thou good and faithful servant . " " The parish of Middleton, in 1821, contained one hundred and nine, and, in 1831, one hundred and three inhabitants. "