The 9 ft giant who beat the king’s wrestling champion

The Great “Giant”

Less than three miles from the hustle and bustle of Liverpool John Lennon Airport lies the small sleepy village of Hale. Among the thatch cottages, manor houses and pub sits St. Mary’s Church. Here, you would find the grave of the Childe of Hale, John Middleton.

Legend and the inscription of his grave tells us that Middleton was nine foot three inches tall. He was born in the village of Hale in the year of 1578, and would become famous for beating King James I wrestling champion. He died in 1623 at the age of 45. 

Middleton’s height is unverified however if it were true, it would make him taller than the tallest person in recorded history Robert Wadlow. Waldow stood at a towering range of eight feet eleven inches. 

Down the road from the church lies an all white, thatched roofed cottage on Church End. This cozy home with its tiny doors and low beams from the ceiling, was where John lived. Reportedly with Middleton’s size, he had to sleep with both of his feet sticking out of the cottage’s window. 

The cottage is now an Airbnb which is owned by Julie Griffiths. The story of Middleton continues to attract tourists to the area. The owner Griffiths said, “We get people from all over the world coming to stay at the cottage and visit the area.” The upkeep of the cottage is staggering. “The thatched roof costs 28,000 pounds to replace and it has to be done every 15 years,” said Griffiths.  

Given the history of the cottage, the owner told us that she had been approached by paranormal investigators who wanted to stay in the cottage overnight to find out if there was any paranormal activity. Not wanting to find out, Griffiths politely declined their request.

The village has marked Middleton’s life existence by carving out a large tree chunk across the road from the church in 1996. Over the years, the tree became rotten and had to be cut down by the council in 2011. Two years later, a bronze sculpture was created to succeed the wooden statue. This sculpture is still there within sight of the cottage. 

The final place that Middleton is remembered in Hale is at a pub called “Childe of Hale,” which was how he was commonly known. Place mats were created for people to eat their meals off of. Pictures and memorabilia were framed on the walls all around the pub. The pub staff shared that many regulars come in and are happy to tell the story about John Middleton. 

Middleton’s story stretches beyond the village of Hale. He was hired as a bodyguard and travelled to London, where his impressive size led him to wrestle the King James I wrestling champion. He reportedly broke the champion’s thumb and was even gifted 20 pounds from it. Many people tried to cheat Middleton out of his money as his winnings were worth a lot.

On his way back from London, Middleton stopped at Brasenose College at the University of Oxford. John left his handprints at the college and they were impressed into the wall. His time at the college was important, as archivist Helen Sumpling said, “There is the life-seized painting of him in the Chapel, which is above the door and quite imposing.”

The college’s first VIII boat club was named after him, which shows the connection he had with the university. The colours the club uses were inspired by Middleton himself, as he wore “purple, yellow, and red” when he travelled to London. 

As Middleton returned to Hale, a great big oar was placed on the balcony inside of St. Mary’s Church. This oar was donated by Brasenose College to further strengthen the ties between his home village and where he left his mark. 

It was said that John Middleton died impoverished, as many people were stealing and tricking him into giving away his money. However, his legacy as “the giant” still lives on in the little village of Hale. 

Here is what the people of Merseyside guessed his height to be:

How tall do you think amateur wrestler John Middleton was?

Answer the poll below and find out tomorrow!#johnmiddleton #halevillage #amateurwrestler pic.twitter.com/bcDfF0avuX

— MerseySportLive (@merseysportlive) April 30, 2025