Middleton-on-Sea

At the time of the Domesday survey in 1086, Middleton was held of Roger de Montgomery by William. Five freemen had held it before the Conquest. The overlordship descended with the Rape of Arundel. In 1243, at the division of the d'Aubigny inheritance, Middleton passed to Roger de Mohaut. Roger's brother Robert died in 1275, and Roger himself died in 1295 or 1296. Robert, Lord Mohaut, nephew of Roger, died in 1329, after which the overlordship passed to Queen Isabel, wife of Edward II, who died in 1358. Edward, the Black Prince, held the overlordship in 1361 (VCH Sussex Vol. 5, Pt. 1, pp. 190-204).

The undertenancy descended through the honour of Halnaker. The St John and Poynings families held interests in the manor during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Thomas Poynings, Lord St John, died in 1429. At the division of the inheritance in 1458, the manor passed to Thomas Kingston, who died in 1506, subject to Eleanor's life interest. John Kingston died in 1514 and was succeeded by Nicholas Kingston, who died in 1516. The manor then passed to Mary Kingston and her husband Sir Thomas Lisle, who died in 1542, and afterwards to William Gorfen. The Crown purchased the manor in 1544 (VCH Sussex Vol. 5, Pt. 1, pp. 190-204).

The manor remained with the Crown until 1599, when it was granted to Sir John Spencer, Lord Mayor of London. The manor descended with Priory farm, Tortington, through the early seventeenth century. Thomas Bridger held the manor by 1654 and died in 1683. Ambrose Dench conveyed the manor to Henry Hall and Grace his wife in 1686. By 1692 the manor had been divided into two moieties between the Cooper and Peachey families (VCH Sussex Vol. 5, Pt. 1, pp. 190-204).

One moiety descended from Henry Hall through the Sparkes family. Thomas Hall mortgaged to Thomas Sparkes, who died after 1734. Henry Sparkes held in 1762 and 1771. Thomas Sparkes, nephew and heir, sold to Richard Coote, who died in 1803. Joseph Coote, nephew, died in 1814, followed by another Joseph Coote who died in 1844. Richard Coote succeeded and held Middleton farm of 137 acres. The other moiety passed through Thomas Cooper, described as lord in 1712, and his family until it was reunited with the first moiety by the early nineteenth century (VCH Sussex Vol. 5, Pt. 1, pp. 190-204).

Sir Frederick Dixon-Hartland MP purchased the estate c.1875 and was created baronet in 1892. He died in 1909. George Stay purchased from the Dixon-Hartland executors in 1911. In 1919 Stay sold 396 acres to West Sussex County Council for division into smallholdings. Captain R. Coldicott purchased the remainder c.1919 for building development after 1921 (VCH Sussex Vol. 5, Pt. 1, pp. 190-204).

The advowson descended with the manor until 1599, when the Crown retained it. Presentations were often made by the Lord Chancellor after 1720. George Hartwell Roe purchased the advowson and died in 1874. His widow Eliza devised it to the Revd Alfred Conder, who died in 1895, after which it passed to W.H.B. Fletcher of Bognor, who gave it to the Dean and Chapter of Chichester in 1901 (VCH Sussex Vol. 5, Pt. 1, pp. 190-204).