Hi, just coming in on this

.
The book "Thorne Mere & The Old River Don" by Martin Tylor has a little snippet, Martin used among others, the historical sources of John Leland (1506 - 1552) who gives a brief description of his visit to Thorne and his boat journey from Thorne to Sandtoft, crossing Thorne Mere on his way.
The Middle Ings / Middlings is the area along the centre of which runs along the A18 (Scunthorpe Road to a local like me

) in the area of what is now the "Black Bull" public house.
Frank.
Added, I have not read all of the thread yet, apologies if I have duplicated anything.