Rev William ALSTON Rector of Newton M.A. [3688]

  General Notes:

William was granted matric in Ipswich 1705 entered Sidney College Camb 10 Sept 1705, aged 18, BA 1711-2, MA 1715, Ordained Deacon Norwich July 1712, Priest Dec 1717. Rector of Newton and Little Waldingfield 1726 to 1761, recorded on the memorial board in the Church.
William received under his fathers will, divinity books, and the benefice of Newton, which his father had purchased from Elizabeth Hutchinson, Widow, Lady of the Manor of Newton Hall. Will dated 11 June 1760 was proved (Cur Ep Nov) 31 Aug 1761

Rev. A. N. WILSON of the Priory, Little Waldingfield sends extracts from Vol. IX. part i. 1895 of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology, &c. p. 29. Vicars of Little Waldingfield.
1727. William Alston M.A. ad. praes. Eliz. Jackson Spr. p. j. Dec. 20. (Lib. Inst. C. I. 306).
Alstoniana Pg 379

The Will of William Alston Rector of Newton in co. Suffolk.
Dated 11th June 1760.
To my son Thomas Alston and to my son Joseph Alston L160 in consideration of their trouble as executors equally among them.
To my son Edward Alston one shilling only.
To my son Joseph Alston my Waggon and Tumbrill and all my books and writings and to him alone and no other person.
To my said son Joseph Alston L50 "which I am indebted to him to help pay of (off) a sum of money which I borrowed clear cash out of his pockett."
All corn upon my glebe at Newton also belongs to my said son Joseph, he having hired it of me.
All goods &c. to be converted into Cash, except as above.
To my wife L3, barring her from having any thing further, except her own Yellow Bed and her wearing apparel.
Appoint my sons Thomas and Joseph Alston executors.
William Alston
Witnesses: William Bartlett, Isaac Clark (his mark), Joseph Alston.
Proved at Stratford 31st August 1761 by both the executors
Consistory Court of Norwich-Register 1761 fol. 214.
Alstoniana pg 167

  Research Notes:

A William Alston was Rector of Sudbury 1 Aug 1727.

Incumbants of All Saints Newton.
1309 GILBERT DE WRATTING
1310 JORDAN DE WYCHEFELD
1321 WILLIAM DE BURES
1342 JOHN DE LENN
1350 THOMAS DE BRANKETRE
1353 ROGER RAUNDES
1369 THOMAS DE BROGHTONE
1381 JOHN ULF
1383 WALTER COVE
1394 WILLIAM HALLE
1424 THOMAS KYNGGS
1424 THOMAS BLADSMITH
1435 RICHARD FRENDE
1435 WILLIAM WYNELL
1436 RICHARD SPROUT
1470 THOMAS HYLL
1493 HUGH DEYE
1509 JOHN HOLDEN
1522 ROBERT HAYWARD
1550 EDWARD FANNE
1561 HENRY BOYSE
1586 THOMAS STOUGHTON
1604 WILLIAM GARNHAM
1620 THOMAS WEATHERELL
1630 FRANCIS QUARLES
1658 FRANCIS QUARLES
1683 EDWARD ALSTON
1722 ROBERT BACKHOUSE
1726 WILLIAM ALSTON
1762 WILLIAM BUCKLEY
1775 DANIEL LONGMIRE
1790 GEORGE BORLASE
1810 JOHN WHITEHURST
1833 CHARLES SMITH
1892 ALFRED THEADORE WREN
1916 BERNARD SMITH
1956 ARTHUR GEORGE ENSOR
1970 BRIAN GRUNDY
1977 ANDREW GRIEVE
1979 JOHN COTTON
1987 PETER CATTERICK
1990 ALEC R GEORGE
2000 RICHARD TITFORD
2003 DAVID MATHEWS
2010 JUDITH SWEETMAN
Courtesy of Mr Alan Vince - 2021

Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds Branch:
BOXFORD PARISH RECORDS
Catalogue Ref. FB77
Creator(s): Church of England, Boxford Parish, Suffolk
CHARITIES
Town Lands (Boxford & Hadleigh Hamlet) - ref. FB77/L1
FILE - Bundle - ref. FB77/L1/3 - date: 1667 - 1752
item: [no title] - ref. FB77/L1/3/2,3 date: 17 & 18 Jul
. 1729 William Alston
Ref A2A, unproven to this William.

St Lawrence, Little Waldingfield
The village name makes it sound rather quaint; but this large settlement was a major cloth producer when South Suffolk was the industrial heartland of England in the 15th century. The wealth of those days was responsible for the great churches of this area. Within 5 miles, the churches of Lavenham, Long Melford and Glemsford, as well as the three Sudbury churches, were all largely rebuilt within 50 years of each other. St Lawrence was no exception.
Loud and proud, and a reminder that this was once more than a Sudbury commuter village.
Little Waldingfield lies at the centre of a circle described by these towns and villages. It is en route from the medieval factories of the Stour Valley to the merchant houses of Lavenham. This was not, then, a remote outpost, and nor is it now.
Interestingly, both Waldingfield churches are dedicated to St Lawrence. This, however, is an error. When the dedications were restored in the late 19th century, an 18th century source was used which had been compiled with more enthusiasm than accuracy. In fact, the medieval dedication of the church at Great Waldingfield was to Mary. The dedication here at Little Waldingfield is correct.
The tower here is solidly 14th century, but the nave and chancel were substantially rebuilt in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The clerestory is a gorgeous one, despite the rendered walls, and the porch is unusual with its bands of red brick. If you take a look around the north side, you'll see a slightly later porch there built entirely of brick. Also on this side, notice the remains of a former chapel in the chancel wall, similar to Sternfield.
Looking eastwards at Little Waldingfield. Slender arcades grow organically from a warm wood floor, all framing a beautiful font.
I will say at once that, if this church is not as big as its more famous neighbours, it is certainly as lovely, and a visit here is always a joy. It is a beautiful, vernacular, late-medieval art- object in itself, like Lindsey and Cotton, and should be appreciated as such before any details are investigated. A fine view of the interior is from below the tower; beyond the font, the arcades stretch away, their banding leading one's eye inexorably towards the rational light of the east window.
There is a scattering of medieval glass, including several heads, and a squint from the south aisle chapel gives a view of the former high altar. Taken with the now-vanished north chancel chapel, and the also-vanished rood, it is easy to imagine the former liturgical life of this church.
The font is a delight; four of the panels show monks, hard a twork It is a shame that the figures below have been destroyed. Either side of the nave at the west end there are ancient chests, as old as anything made of stone here.
This church has a rustic feel, belying its domestic surroundings. Quite the opposite, in fact, to the situation at St Lawrence's Great Waldingfield counterpart. Patricia Bridges, the local historian, has been extremely helpful in checking the content of this page. She is very disappointed that I didn't mention the brasses or the magnificent organ! But I only mention things I see with my own eyes, so I shall look out for them on my next visit. The school in this village closed in the 1960s, and so my sighting of it must be as of a ghost of the past. . . . .
St Lawrence, Little Waldingfield, is found on the B1115 Stowmarket to Sudbury road, about halfway between Lavenham and Sudbury. I found it open.
http://www.suffolkchurches.co.uk/

William married Annie ELLIS of Colchester. [3689] [MRIN: 1274] about 1715 in St Martins Colchester. (Annie ELLIS of Colchester. [3689] was buried on 9 Sep 1748 in Newton Nr Sudbury SFK.)

William next married Mrs Sarah PATRICK [7311] [MRIN: 2431] on 15 Nov 1753 in Waldingfield Parva. (Mrs Sarah PATRICK [7311] died on 19 May 1762 in Lt Waldingfield SFK and was buried on 21 May 1762 in Lt Waldingfield SFK.)