Baron Middleton

Baron Middleton, of Middleton in the County of Warwick, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1711 for Sir Thomas Willoughby, 2nd Baronet, who had previously represented Nottinghamshire and Newark in Parliament. The Middleton Baronetcy, of Wollaton in the County of Nottingham, had been created in the Baronetage of England in 1677 for his elder brother Francis Willoughby, with special remainder to the latter's only brother Thomas, who succeeded him in 1688. Lord Middleton was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baron. He sat as Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire and Tamworth. On the death of his younger son, the fourth Baron (who had succeeded his elder brother), the line of the eldest son of the first Baron failed. He was succeeded by his cousin Henry Middleton, the fifth Baron. He was the son of the Hon. Thomas Willoughby (c. 1694–1742), second son of the first Baron. On the death of his son, the sixth Baron, this line of the family also failed.

The late Baron was succeeded by his cousin Digby Willoughby, the seventh Baron. He was the son of a younger son of the aforementioned the Hon. Thomas Willoughby, second son of the first Baron. He was a captain in the Royal Navy. He died unmarried and was succeeded by his cousin, the eighth Baron. He was the grandson of Reverend the Hon. James Willoughby, younger son of the aforesaid the Hon. Thomas Willoughby, second son of the first Baron. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the ninth Baron, who in his turn was succeeded by his younger brother, the tenth Baron. On the latter's death the titles passed to his second but eldest surviving son, the eleventh Baron. He was Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire. As of 2011 the titles are held by his grandson, the thirteenth Baron, who succeeded in 2011.

The Middleton family owned Wollaton Hall, a stately home on which Mentmore Towers was based, until it was sold by the 11th Baron in 1925. The current family seat is Birdsall Hall, near Malton, in the North Riding of Yorkshire.

Extensive estate and personal papers of the Willoughby family are held in the Middleton collection at the department of Manuscripts and Special Collections, The University of Nottingham.