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The De Middletons are recorded from the time of King John until the end of the line died out in the 14th. century and their crest...a paly of 6 argent and vert ...is still worn by the pupils of the Grammar School. A school was founded by "Thomas langley" the 15th.century Bishop of Durham and Chancellor, who also re built the Parish Church. The Bartons were then lords of Middleton and Sir Ralph Assheton, the cruel overlord, infamous as the Black Knight, married a Barton heiress and founded a line which was to hold the manor until the 18th. century. Then it passed to Barron Suffield by marriage. The old Grammar School still stands, though unused for many years, in the early 1930s it was used as a Sunday school for the Parish Church The old Boars head is oppositie the Library on Long St., It is still in use and the locals find it a convenient place to eat lunch and have a glass of beer. Over the years it has remained basically the same while keeping up with changing trends. The history of Middleton is not complete without a brief mention of Samuel Bamford.(1788-1872) author and radical. Arrested for his beliefs on more than one occasion and who was the contingent to the ill fated meeting in Manchester, which was later to become known as the "Peterloo Massacre". He became well known as a writer of dialect works, and as a poet. He is buried in the old cemetery where there is a monument to his fame. In 1912 a Mr Jacob Inefield applied for the transfer of the licence of New Century Hall in Wood St. . He proposed to open the hall as a cinema under the title of " The Victory Picture Palace ". In 1924 George Smith Manager of "The Imperial" in Oldham took over the management of "The Vic" as it became known in 1924; it was a local popular Cinema until it's closing in the 1960's Some Interesting and Unusual Genealogy Links