Thomas ALSTON of Gedding Hall Polsted [3017]

  General Notes:

Thomas of Polsted SFK died possessed of Gedding Hall and lands in many parishes, some derived by inheritance from his ancestors and other by purchase.

"Gedding Hall was an outlier of the Parish of Polstead but has been separated for more than 30yrs it now forms part of Leavenheath. The Hall was pulled down not many years ago. Some of the bricks still remain on site. It appears as Giddincg in an AS Charter c 972"
Rector of Polstead 1 May 1899
Alstoniana Pg 231

Suffolk PRO ref HA517/C12. A Thomas Alston of Newton Yeoman purchased a messuage in Ashen from Henry Grindley of Ashen Yeoman and Son. 20 Jan 1617.

On the 26th November 1647, commission was granted to John Alston, brother of William, who died at Woodhill, or Odell, Co. Bedford, Dame Frances Temple being dead and having left some of his (Thomas's) effects unadministered.

The Manors of Odewell in Gestingthorpe and Pelham in Turnstead ESS were held by Alstons.

Essex Record Office D/DR/T42/49
GRAY AND ROUND FAMILIES OF BIRCH, COLCHESTER AND DISTRICT
Series Farm(s) called Penriches, Goodriches and Brooklands in Elmstead, Frating, Thorrington and Alresford
Dates of Creation 1617. 28 May.
Title [Grant]
Scope and Content By Peter Poole of Broxted yeoman and George Poole of Takeley, Yeoman, and Margaret his wife, to Thomas Alston of Newton, Suffolk, of the same premiese for L620. [3 seals] [Note of Humph. Smyth attorning tenant.]

Essex Record Office D/DR/T42/50
GRAY AND ROUND FAMILIES OF BIRCH, COLCHESTER AND DISTRICT
Series Farm(s) called Penriches, Goodriches and Brooklands in Elmstead, Frating, Thorrington and Alresford
Dates of Creation 1617. 28 May.
Title [Indenture of lease]
Scope and Content From William Towse of Takeley, & William his son & h., to Thomas Alston of Newton, Suffolk, of the same premises [2 seals. One armorial].
Placement is conjectural ELF 2004

THOMAS ALSTON.
Inquisition Post Mortem.
Taken at Ipswich, II April 18 James i. (1620).
Ser ii Vol 384 No 155 1620.
co, Suffolk and co. Essex,
Long before the death of the said Thomas, one Richard Goodday, gent., was seised of the manor or farm called Geddinghall, and land in Polsted and Assington, co. Suffolk, held of the King in socage, as of his hundred of Baberghe; and in return for a sum of money paid him by Thomas, he therewith enfeoffed the said Thomas and one
Frances Blomefeild, afterwards wife of Thomas, in tail, by deed of 17 March 3 Jas. i. (1603). Frances now survives her husband. Thomas also held a messuage and land in Glemham Magna and Parham, of the Earl of Suffolk, as of his manor of Kettlebergh ; another messuage and land in Parham, of the said Earl, of his manor of Hacheston ; and land, etc., in Cranesforth, of the said manor; a small messuage called Little Fishes, and garden, in Assington, formerly belonging to the monastery of Bury St. Edmunds, of the Prince of Wales ;a messuage and land in Great
Waldingfeild, of Robert Crane, Kt., as of his manor of Morvys; a messuage called Pinfeild, and land in Gt. Waldingfeild, held of the King, as of his Honor of Clare ; another messuage and land there, of Marjory Clopton,widow, as of her manor of Sampfords ; a close there called Parkers, otherwise Upstrete close, of Richard Roberts, as of his manor of Pondhall ; a messuage and land in Edwardston, formerly parcel of the manor of Edwardston, of the Prince of Wales, of his Honor of Eye ; also a messuage and land in Wickham St. Paul, co. Essex, held of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, as of their manor of Wickham St. Paul; land in Pebmarsh and Twystead, co.Essex, of Nicholas Manninge, Esq., as of his manor of Dagworthe ; a messuage called Cranes, and land in Great and Little Maplested and Gestingthorp, co. Essex, held of Edward Wiseman, Esq., as of his manor of Little Maplested; messuage and land in Thaxsted, held of William Smythe, Kt., as of his manor of Thaxsted ; messuage and lands in Ashen als Esse, of the manor of Clare Hall als Clarett Hall ; a messuage and lands in Elmsted, Fratinge and Thorington, of William Purton, Esq., of his manor of Elmsted, and of Caius College, Cambridge, as of their manor of Fratinge; a messuage and lands in Stysted, of Thomas Gardyner, Knight, as of his manor of Stansted Hall, and of Robert Huddlestone, Kt., as of his manor of Pigotts, and of - Wiseman, widow, of her manor of Claverings als Newhall, co. Essex.
By his will, dated 11 January last, he left the messuages and lands in Parham and Glemham to his wife, till William, his eldest son, be 21 ; and the tenements in Ashen, Elmestead, Fratinge and Thorington, to his said wife, till his second son Thomas be 21 ; tenements in Great Waldingfield and Stystead, similiarly, till his third son Edward be 21 ; and the premises in Edwardston, and in Wickham St. Paul, &c., till his youngest son John be 21.
Thomas Alston died 21 January 17 James i. (1620).
William Alston, his son and heir, was then 12 years and 4 months old

THOMAS ALSTON.
Inquisition taken at Ipswich,
20 June 18 James i. (1620)
Ser. ii, Vol. 834, 1620. co. Suffolk.
In virtue of a writ for further enquiry, as to the tenure
of the manor of Geddinghall, whrch the jury again return as held of the King in socage, and not by military tenure.
Alstoniana pg. 259

The large memorial in Odell Church to Thomas and Frances Alston and families has 3 sets of arms upon it. At the head - Alston with the red hand of Ulster surmounted by helmet and crest. Below to each side - Dexter Alston impaling . . . . . Blomfield; Sinister Alston impaling . . . . . two mullets pierced or. St John.
Ref Harvey - Hundred of Willey co Bedfordshire.

Footnote Alstoniana pg 14: In the Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica Lond. printed by and for J Nichols MDCCXC, Vol IV, 31 et sequitur, it says "Thomas Alston of Polstead in Suffolk was the "fourth" son of William Alston of Sayham, and Margery Holmstead of Maplestesd. Yet it appears from an ancient pedigree in the British Museum that his wife was Catherine, daughter and heir of Henry Hampstead, and that he was the eldest son of Edmund Alston of Saxham, and Elizabeth his wife , daughter of John Coleman: and grandson of William Alston of Newton, and Anne his wife, daughter of Thomas Simmonds." The confusion here between this Thomas and his uncle Thomas is an illustration of the difficulty sometimes caused to the genealogist by similarity of Christian name. - Lionel Cresswell

  Research Notes:

Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds Branch: Estate and family records of the Elwes family of Stoke College, Stoke-by-Clare
ELWES FAMILY AND ESTATE RECORDS - ref. HA 517/C
FILE - Messuage in Ashen - ref. HA 517/C12 - date: 1617-1618
Purchased by Thomas Alston of Newton, yeoman, from Henry Gridley of Ashen, yeoman and William Gridley his son, 20 Jan 1617
Ref A2A

2013 - There is a plaque bearing the Coats of Arms of Alston & Temple at St Peters Pavenham.
Ref: http://www.allsaintsmiltonernest.org.uk/pav-history.html

  Other Records

1. Henry Grindley to Thomas Alston: Purchase of a messuage, 20 Jan 1617/18, Ashen ESS.
Ref: HA517/C122 Suffolk PRO
Mentioned in the Inquisition Post Mortem dated 1620 carried out after Thomas's demise, see General Notes.

2. Thomas Alston: Will, 1620, Polsted SFK.
THE WILL of THOMAS ALSTON of POLSTED
Dated 11 January 1619/20
The will of Thomas Alston 11th Jan 1619-20 of Polsted co. Suff. yeoman (dioc. of Norwich)
I desire to be decently buried at the discretion of my executrix.
I give 40 marks to be distributed amongst the poor people of Sudbury Mellford, Lavenham Great Waldingfield, Little Waldingfield, Edwardstone, Mounts Illeigh, Groton, Boxford, Polsted, Stoke next Nayland, Nayland, Assington and Newton
To Mr. James Bromwell of Polsted 20/-
To Mr. Joseph Byrde of Boxford 20/-
To Mr. Tho. Nicholson of Croxton 20/-
To Mr. Tho. Dewsley of Edwardston 20/-
To Mr. Tho. Chamber of Assington 20/-
I give to Frances my wife to hold in trust for my son William (until his majority) the lands messuages tenements and hereditaments lately purchased from Anthony Pennynge Esq.
To Frances my wife my lands Tens and hered. in Enepsted and Frating co. Essex also lands in Ashen als Esse co. Essex, in trust for my second son Thomas
To Frances my wife my mess. lands tents and heredts in Stisted co. Essex, also ditto in great Waldingfield bequeathed to me by my father William Alston in trust for my third son Edward.
To Frances my wife my lands tents heredts in Thaxted co. Essex, left me by my late father also my lands tents and hereds. in great Maplested little Maplestead, Twynsted, Pebmarshe, Wickham St Paule and Gestingthorpe - also my Messuage in Edwardston - copyhold Lands in Melford Suff. devised to me by my father in trust for my youngest son John Alston
Having obtained judgment in the Court of Common Pleas Westr against Nicholas Heyward the same is defeizanted by deed between me and Thomas Robinson and his heirs - this money to be assured to my son John upon his giving a release to his brothers for the lands left to them respectively - should he refuse to do this, he forfeits the lands bequeathed to him.
The Manor called Geddingehall wherein I now dwell with the lands belonging thereto, also a tenement and land called the further Birchfeilde assured to me and to my wife for her jointure to revert on the death of Frances my wife to my second son Thomas
My wife to use the profits of the lands left to her As followeth L200 yearly for the maintenance of herself and all my children until said children are of age, the residue sf the profits to be divided between my four sons, my daughter Frances and the child to be born
To Frances my wife my household stuff and implements, plate and jewels, Corne in my barns and on the ground, cattle and tools of husbandry.
To Margaret Hills my servant 40/
To Suzan Cunnle 20/-
To Marchant 20/-
To John Agas 20/-
To John Smyth my apprentice 20/- at the expiration of his apprenticeship

The residue of my goods and chattels unbequeathed to be equally divided between my wife and children, my wife to have the use of the same until said children are of age.
Should my wife remarry she is to render an account to my brother in law Symon Bloomfeilde and to my four sons of all my saide goods unbequeathed and to enter into a bond of L12000 to pay the portions of my children and to join with my eldest son in assuring the Reversion of my mansion and lands to Thomas my son, my wife to undertake the bringing up and education of all my children

My brother in law Symon Bloomfield to be Supervisor of my will and to receive L40 for his trouble.

I appoint my wife sole executrix
Signed THOMAS ALSTON
Witnesses : John Hammond-John Potter-John Thompson the elder
Proved the 4th February 16I9-20 by Frances Alston relict and executrix named in said Will
Soame 103
Page 104 Alstoniana

Extract from the Will of William Alston Thomas's father:
To my son Thomas Allston, and his heirs, all my properties in Thaxted aforesaid, also properties in Gt. and Lt. Maplestead, Gestingthorpe, Wickham St. Pawle, Pebmarsh and Twinstead. Also Properties in Gt. and Lt. Waldingfield and Melford purchased of Thomas Canham, Henry Jackson, John Lumpkyn and Nicholas Maffen, and any other properties not otherwise bequeathed in these parishes (except one property both free and copyhold purchased of Thomas Parishe the Elder in Gt. Waldingfield).

Thomas married Frances BLOMFIELD (BLOMEVIL) [3018] [MRIN: 1015], daughter of Simon BLOMFIELD (BLOMEVIL) of Monks Eleigh [4556] and Elizabeth PENNING [4557], on 28 Apr 1606 in Newton SFK. (Frances BLOMFIELD (BLOMEVIL) [3018] was baptised on 8 Sep 1612 in Coddenham SFK, died on 1 Sep 1644 and was buried on 11 Sep 1644 in Odell BDF.)