ALSTON Time Line 15thC [5993]

  General Notes:

ESSEX PORTION OF GORHAMBURY ESTATE ARCHIVES, LUCKYN FAMILY OF MESSING
Manor of Messing Baynard
Dates of Creation 10 June 1402
Lease by Richard Baynard of Messyng to John Rowland and Agnes his wife, sometime wife of John Alston of Messyng, two parts of a tenement called Alstones in Messyng.
Ref: Essex Record Office D/DH/VB46

ESSEX PORTION OF GORHAMBURY ESTATE ARCHIVES, LUCKYN FAMILY OF MESSING
Manor of The Rectory, Messing
Dates of Creation 26 June 1412
Appointment by John de Boys of Tolleshunt Tregoz and others, of John Alston of Messyng, lands called Legattes in Messyng.
Ref: Essex Record Office D/DH/VF28

1412 Grant to Robert Alston, son of John Alston of Messyng,of lands, etc., called Legattes in Messyng.

1416 Robert Alston, Grant of a piece of land, parcel of a croft late of Robert Bitham.

1417 Grant by Richard Baynard of Messyng to Robert Alston of Messyng

1418 Grant of lands sold called Legattes in Messyng, of the feoffment of Robert Alston, son of John Alston of Messyng.

1427 oldest son of the 6 sons of John Alston b about 1427
1427 younger son of the 6 sons of John Alston b about 1439
Brothers

A William Alston of Newton Suffolk is shown twice in the IGI as Birth abt 1482 also 1485 - son of John and Mrs John Alston" unproven.

1469 Thomas Alston died in Sudbury Suffolk in 1469. In his will he mentions brother William Alston ,John Alston his executor, and the six sons of John Alston.Sudbury Suffolk is 16 miles from Stisted Essex

Thomas Alston [433] of Sudbury Will proved (Arch Sud) 1469 married Isabel . . . . . 1469. John Alston of Newton in Suffolk descended from William of Stisted was father of William etc. . . . .

TRANSLATION OF THE WILL OF THOMAS ALSTON [see RIN 433]
In the name of God Amen.
On the 30th of August 1469 I, Thomas Alston of Sudbury in the Diocese of Norwich
being in full possession of my faculties, make my will in this manner.
First I bequeath and commend my soul to Almighty God, to the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary and all the saints, and my body to be buried in the churchyard of St. Gregory of Sudbury, close to the grave of my wife Isabel.
Item I will that all debts which I owe in any wise soever shall be entirely paid . . . . . . ? and principal.
Item I bequeath to the high altar of the church of St. Peter in recompense of my tithes and dues in any way withdrawn or negligently omitted by me, 13s 4d.
Item I give and bequeath to the convent of Friars of the Sudbury house, for repairing the back wall, in order that they may celebrate for the soul of me, Thomas Alston, and Isabel my wife, four trentals of St. Gregory as soon as possible after my decease, 40s.
Item I bequeath to the convent of Friars of the house of Clare, in order that they may celebrate among them two trentals for the souls of myself and my wife, 20s as soon as may be.
Item I give and bequeath to Isabel my wife my capital messuage with its appurtenances and a tenement with a certain piece of land adjoining, formerly belonging to John Suffeld, gent., lying in Sudbury aforesaid, to have and to hold to the aforesaid Isabel my wife, her heirs and assigns for ever under the following condition, to wit that the said Isabel, my wife, shall pay to George Prentys and JOHN ALSTON, my executors or their assigns ten marks of the current money of England within five years next after my decease, to wit, every year of the said five years, 20s 6s. 8d
Item I give and bequeath to the said Isabel my wife eight (seed baskets) of malt or four marks instead of the said malt; and the remainder of my malt there shall remain to my executors, to be sold and disposed of for the benefit of my soul.
Item I give and bequeath to my said wife my best girdle with silver ornaments.
Item I give and bequeath to Amy, wife of Ada Moralbutes one charger, three platters, three dishes and three saucers of tin, and a brass bowl containing two pints.
Item I give and bequeath to Isabel at Hoo of Melford a tenement with its appurtenances in Melford called Hame Hamundes Crycbe? to her heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give and bequeath to Isabel, daughter of John Salter deceased, a tenement with its appurtenances in Sudbury lying next the messuage of Thomas Herbert, to have and to hold to the said Isabella Salter her heirs and assigns for ever
Item I give and bequeath to the said Isabel Salter one charger, three platters, three dishes and three saucers of tin.
Item I give and bequeath to the six sons of JOHN ALSTON 40d apiece
Item I give and bequeath to WILLIAM ALSTON, brother of the said THOMAS ALSTON,
6s. 8d.
Item I give and bequeath towards the repairs of Otton Belchamp church 40d in order that the parishioners may pray for my soul.
Item I give and bequeath to the repairs of the church of Cornard Magna, 40d that the parishioners may pray for my soul.
Item I bequeath and give to the Guild of St. George of Sudbury a brass bowl at the discretion and good will of Isabel my wife.
Item I will that my executors shall find a secular priest to celebrate divine service in the said church of St. Peter for an entire year, for the souls of myself and my wife Isabel, and of others for whom I am bound, taking for his wages the ten marks my wife will pay as abovesaid.
Item I give and bequeath to John Alston my best " Baslard (dagger) " with silver ornaments.
Item I give and bequeath to Isabel my wife all the utensils called houslements and ? furniture in my house not before bequeathed, to dispose of as she pleases.
Item I will that my executors on the day of my, obit shall distribute 40d among the most needy poor people; and 100s on the seventh day and 100s on the thirtieth day in like wise among the most needy poor folks.
Item I give and bequeath to the parish priest of the church of St. Peter 4s.
Item I will that the curate of the said church shall recommend the souls of myself and my wife in his Lord's day prayers every Sunday, and in his mass once a week without interruption during the ten years next after my death, and shall have 4s. for his pains every year of the said ten years.
Item I will that my executors shall arrange for exequies to be celebrated and held every year for twelve years immediately after my decease, for the souls of myself and my wife, and shall distribute to the amount of 20s among the most needy poor, as long as it may be conveniently done out of my goods, after the payment of my debts and legacies
I give and bequeath the residue of all my jewels not above bequeathed to my executors to pay my debts and to fulfil my bequests as above noted, and to do further as shall seem best to them to arrange for the salvation of my soul.
And of this my will I make, constitute and ordain the aforesaid Isabel my wife, George Prentys and JOHN ALSTON my executors execute it as above provided. And I bequeath to each of my executors aforesaid for his pains, beyond reasonable expense incurred or to be incurred 13s 4d.
Item I exhort andin God's name require all and singular my feoffees in the aforesaid
messuages lands and tenements, with all their appurtenances, to deliver their status therein conformably to the tenor of this my will, when duly required by my executors.
This my present will was made in the presence of John Risby, John Petbury, chaplains, and others, at Sudbury aforesaid in the diocese of Norwich the day and year above-written.

This present will was proved before the official of the Lord Archdeacon of Sudbury at Sudbury on the 25th day of Sept 1469 and administration of all and singular concerning the said testament was committed to the executors in the said will named, sworn in due form prescribed by law.
In witness whereof we have affixed the seal of our office to these presents, the place, day and year aforesaid.

This most interesting Will shows that the Alstons were substantial yeomen owning land in and around Sudbury upwards of a hundred years before the connected pedigree begins. I have, as yet, no evidence of the degree consanguinity in which the testator or the JOHN ALSTON and his six sons stood towards the early patriarchs of the pedigree but it is hardly rash to assume that one of JOHN's sons was a lineal ancestor.
The testator himself appears to have been childless.
Lionel Cresswell 1895

1481 John Alston of Newton [2826] married 1481 died circa 1514. Passed on feoffment of Tenement called Crekys in Sudbury to William Alston

The IGI (unreliable) refers to the birth of a John Alston abt 1460 in Suffolk. A further entry refers to a birth of a John Alston abt 1475 at Edwardstone Suffolk, Thomas Alston is shown as a relative. Two marriages are recorded of a John Alston of Newton to Mrs John Alston dated 1481 & 1484?.

1493 Son of younger son married about 1493
Cousins

1485 William Alston of Newton Suffolk [2819] born c.1485 died 1564

  Research Notes:

Submitted by M Terbrack 2013.
London Topographical Record, Illustrated,
Volume 10 Page 132
On 1 March 1408 Henry IV granted it to his servant, Thomas Walsyngham, Brounflete having taken an oath that his own Patent ... After this he again fell into trouble, but at his death, in 1478, left Green Gate to his wife, with remainder to his son Philip. Possibly, however, the house had been forfeited; for on 28 April 1486, Henry VII granted it to John Forester. ... Gate," which Roger Crophull and Thomas Brounflete held for life, was granted to John Alston in reward for his service in the kings most victorious journeys. This grant was cancelled because Alston failed to serve in the kings great journey to france, and on 30 may 1494 as "le grene gate by ledenhall" it was granted for life to Sir William de la river.

Materials for a History of the Reign of Henry VII: From Original Documents ... page 112
25 January 1487
Grant for life to John Alston, of a hospice or tenement, called the Grene Gate, in the parish of St Andrew, Cornhill, in the ward of Lymestrete, in the city of London, which Roger Crophull and Thomas Bromeflete, esquires lately held for their lives, of the gift of Richard II., and which has been seized into the kings hands pursuant to a writ directed to John Tate and John Swan, sheriffs of London and Middlesex, Given at our manor of Moore E Jan 29 P.S. No. 180 Pat. P. 1. m. 5 (23)

. . . . . to whom Henry VII. (d) granted a fair house, called the Green-Gate, in Lime-street Ward, London.
It was granted to John Alston 25 january 1487 in reward for his service in the kings most victorious journeys. This grant was cancelled because Alston failed to serve in the kings great journey to france, and on 30 may 1494 as "le grene gate by ledenhall" it was granted for life to Sir William de la river.
Could the victorious journeys have something to do with the wars of the roses(york and Lancaster) which culminated at bosworth field where King Richard was killed, but rebellion carried on a few years. Henrys coronation, took place in Westminster Abbey on 30 October 1485. Almost immediately afterwards, he issued an edict that any gentleman who swore fealty to him would, notwithstanding any previous attainder, be secure in his property and person.
The Stafford and Lovell rebellion was the first armed uprising against Henry VII after he won the crown at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The uprising was led by Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell and the Stafford brothers, Sir Humphrey Stafford of Grafton, Worcestershire, and Thomas Stafford, and occurred during Eastertime 1486.[1]
Rebellion
The conspirators hoped to restore the Yorkist monarchy. However, the uprising was a disaster. On 22 April 1486 Lord Lovell decided not to risk open rebellion, and escaped to Burgundy. In the meantime the Stafford brothers had risen in rebellion in Worcester, despite the fact that King Henry had mass support in that area.
During this time Henry was in York on a nationwide tour of the country. As soon as he advanced towards Worcester in order to eliminate Yorkist support, on 11 May 1486 the Stafford brothers again fled to sanctuary, this time at Culham.

A SURVEY OF THE CITIES OF London and Westminster
Version 1.0 (ISBN: 0-9542608-9-9) page 84
Messuage called Green Gate., Philip Malpas robbed.
Then is there a fair House, of old time called the Green Gate, by which one Michael Pistoy, Lumbard, held it, with a Tenement and nine Shops, in the Reign of Richard II. who in the 15th of his Reign, gave it to Roger Crophull and Tho. Bromeslet, Esqrs; by the Name of the Green Gate, in the Parish of St. Andrew upon Cornhill, in Limestreet Ward: Since the which time, Philip Malpas, sometime Alderman, and one of the Sheriffs, dwelled therein, and was there robbed and spoiled of his Goods, to a great Value, by Jack Cade, and other Rebels, in the Year 1449.

Materials for a History of the Reign of Henry VII: From Original Documents ... page 112
25 January 1487
Grant for life to John Alston, of a hospice or tenement, called the Grene Gate, in the parish of St Andrew, Cornhill, in the ward of Lymestrete, in the city of London, which Roger Crophull and Thomas Bromeflete, esquires lately held for their lives, of the gift of Richard II., and which has been seized into the kings hands pursuant to a writ directed to John Tate and John Swan, sheriffs of London and Middlesex, Given at our manor of Moore E Jan 29 P.S. No. 180 Pat. P. 1. m. 5 (23)

There is sufficient proof that the Alstons, of Bedfordshire and Suffolk share the same Coats of Arms with 7 other families. There were 8 coats granted by the General Armory. Those of Odell, Chelsea, Warwick, Dumbarton, Glasgow, Lanark, Lanark, Alston-Stewart Urrard Perth. They are all with the Azure + 10 stars of four, three two one. Also an Alstone and Alstoines.
See image of Lanarkshire Armorial Bearings
The First coat of arms of the Alstons with the Azure + 10 stars of four, three two one, was from A Hugh Alston, long before the College kept records.

The first recorded Scottish armorial dates to 1508.
Early History
Hugo de Alston is named in a charter of 1399. Another Hugo de Alston, possibly his son, died in 1425. This second Hugo is described as Dominus de Candor (Lord of Candor). Hugo's heir was his only daughter, Margaret, who married one of the Hamiltons of Cadzow. Thus the line of the Alstons of Candor died out.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YMmX7QdO-OkC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=armoury+of+england+and+scotland+alston&source=bl&ots=z3AA_N3Lk6&sig=OmhCE8-9W3jLifVwTO3qnT2Am3g&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ie5RUv3WKoWa0AX0mYCoBw&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=armoury%20of%20england%20and%20scotland%20alston&f=false <http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YMmX7QdO-OkC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=armoury+of+england+and+scotland+alston&source=bl&ots=z3AA_N3Lk6&sig=OmhCE8-9W3jLifVwTO3qnT2Am3g&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ie5RUv3WKoWa0AX0mYCoBw&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAQ>

Tradition for the Scottish branch
The Alstons are said to have been established in the lands of Thinacre Milne (= Mill), in Lanark-shire, from the fourteenth century.
According to a seventeenth-century tradition the ancestor of the Scottish Alstons fled to Scotland from England during the reign of Edward II (1302-1327), as a retainer of Hamilton, who had killed Lord Spencer in a duel. Hamilton was pursued and to escape he disguised himself as a sawyer. Alston rode on with Hamilton's clothes and horses, acting as a decoy. This incident, according to the story, is the origin of the Hamilton crest: an oak tree being cut by a frame-saw.
Hamilton supported Bruce in the Wars of Independence and was later granted the lands of Cadzow. He, in turn (in the tradition), granted Thinacre Milne to the Alstons.

Early History
By 1602 the Alstons were established at Thinacre Milne, Lanark-shire. The earliest recorded Alston of Thinacre Milne is John Alston, who was born in the mid-sixteenth century. There were six generations of Alstons here, the last being Thomas, who died unmarried in the late eighteenth century. There had been an attempt to dispossess the family in 1772. This was abandoned but the property was sold off piece by piece. The family burial place at Hamilton was destroyed when church was leveled to extent the Duke of Hamilton's parks.

Excerpts of information taken from the early history of the Alstons as was collected by Charles Alston (1685-1760), Professor of Botany and Medicine in the University of Edinburgh. He, in turn, relied on information recorded by the antiquary, George Crawfurd (d. 1785) and on information from individuals who knew something of the family history. Charles Alston's manuscript is in Edinburgh University Library (Ms Cat. La III 375).

The five families of Alston in Scotland were all using the same arms ( They each had arms Azure + 10 stars of four, three two one, etc) and connected by descent, from the Thinacre Milne Alstons. They would have had their arms granted in Scotland, and needed no proof of ancestry to the Alstons who held these arms in England. But the one who was granted arms in Warwickshire would have had to have proven descent from the Suffolk Alstons primary holders of these arms, otherwise they would not have been granted. This being so then the Scottish Alstons and the English Alstons were connected through a common ancestor and will then share some of the same DNA. Which might confuse things for people who are researching through DNA.

The Alstons of Suffolk and Bedfordshire moved in turn before and during the 17^th century to Northampton, Surrey, London, Essex, Kent, Buckinghamshire, Norfolk and Hertfordshire, they will also share DNA.

After 1066, the Norman barons introduced surnames into England, and the practice gradually spread. Initially, the identifying names were changed or dropped at will, but eventually they began to stick and to get passed on. So trades, nicknames, places of origin, and fathers' names became fixed surnames .By 1400 most English families, and those from Lowland Scotland, had adopted the use of hereditary surnames.

Many used Habitational surnames and that is how we get Alstons in Devon, Yorkshire and Lancashire.
In Devon there was a village called Alston, and the Alstons in the 16^th and 17^th century were generally to be found in parish registers within a ten-mile radius of the Village of Alston. Mostly In Colyton and Chard.

The same for Lancashire, they were mostly to be found in Whalley and Chipping, a stones throw away from the village of Alston. Also very many in Waddington, though it was in the West Riding of Yorkshire it is now in Lancashire. it is just 5 miles from Whalley.

So in general the Lancashire, Yorkshire and West Country Alstons can be discounted from the gene pool.

Ref: Mary Terbrack - 2013

ALSTON Empty File [26964] [MRIN: 1998].