| The
Middleton Line and its Origins |
| The
most historically significant branch of the
Scales family is that deriving from Roger de
Scales born in Middleton, 6 miles south-east of
King’s Lynn in Norfolk, in about 1123. The
present form of the surname is normally used in
connection with this line. His connection with
Hardwin’s line is not clear, but this branch
adopted the same coat of arms, a scallop shell
motif with no motto (see our Home Page),
as the Reed branch descended from Hugh de
Scalers, whereas the arms of the Shelford branch
were different. They also held lands in
Hertfordshire close to, or perhaps taken over
from, the Reed line; they eventually took over
the title Lord of Newselles. |
| Dates
and one source make Roger possibly the son of
Henry of Reed and great-grandson of Hardwin. The
same source makes his brother Hugh the founder of
the manor at Middleton. This and the fact that
Roger was born in Middleton seem to suggest that
their father Henry must have had a base there,
but there is no record of it. |
| |
| Scales Hall and Middleton
Towers |
| This
entire branch of the Scales family resided at
Middleton on the site that became Middleton
Towers but was originally the manor house
called Scales Hall. Very little is left of
the early dwelling except for the moat, the
remains of some fish ponds and some other
earthworks (see the next page but one). |
| |
| Roger de Scales and
Blackborough Priory |
| Roger
de Scales married Muriel de Lisewis, daughter of
Geoffrey de Lisewis, from a prominent Norfolk
family based in Rainham. She, establishing a
model for most future generations, brought a lot
of land and prestige to the family. Together they
founded the Priory of St Mary and St Catherine, Blackborough
Priory (see the map below right and the
photo above it), in about 1150. At another time,
Roger was also apparently married to Agnes de
Rivell, heiress of the Manor of Worlington in
Suffolk. |
| The
Priory was originally intended to house monks,
but soon after its foundation it admitted nuns as
well. In 1200 it became a Benedictine nunnery and
remained as such until the Dissolution of the
Monasteries in 1538. The ruins are still there:
the probable south wall of the church, the gable
end of another substantial building and the north
gable and part foundations of a smaller building.
Dense spreads of building materials mark the
sites of other buildings attached to the Priory
and the earthworks of five mediaeval fishponds
have been recorded. The site is a Scheduled
Ancient Monument. |
| St.
Mary’s Church in Middleton was also founded
at this time, no doubt by the Scales family;
their arms appear in a stained glass window in
the north isle and the east window of the chancel
is ornamented with scallop shells. |
| |
| The Remainder of the Early
Middleton Line |
| Roger’s
son Robert married a lady called Alice, but
little is known of her or his brother William.
Robert's son Roger married a lady called Maud,
who outlived him and married William de
Beauchamp. Roger's son Robert married the heiress
Margery de Beaufou, daughter of Fulk de Beaufou
of Hockwold cum Wilton in Norfolk. He was
summoned to parliament in about 1205 with the
title of Lord Scales. In 1238, a Katherine
de Scales is recorded as being prioress of
Blackborough Priory, but her precise connection
to the family is unknown. |
| Robert’s
son Robert married Alice de Rochester, heiress of
Sir Ralph de Rochester. The latter at this time
was holding the title Lord of Newcells, so
something must have happened in the Reed branch;
maybe the title had transferred by marriage.
Anyway, she brought the title back to the Scales
family together with the estates at Newselles and
much more. In 1268, sometime after her husband's
death, she arranged that the title Lord of
Newcells be passed on to her younger son
Roger. In 1274 she is recorded as having
recovered damages for some of her swans being
stolen. She died shortly afterwards. |
| Robert’s
elder son Robert married a lady called Clemence
and also Muriel de Liscuris, heiress of Jeffery
de Liscuris. In 1275, Clemence married Sir Robert
de Vaux. |
