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Alderton
Aletuna or Alretuna
The ancient family of De Glanvile became very early interested here: Jeffrey,
brother of William de Glanvile, was lord of this parish, and Dalinghoo, in the
reign of King Richard I. At his death his inheritance became divided between his
five sisters and co-heirs.
Basilia, the 3rd daughter, married, and left a daughter and heir, Isabel, who
married William de Bovile, and brought her interest in these lordships to him:
in the reign of King Edward I., William de Bovile, and Isabel his wife,
presented to the church of Alderton. From the Boviles it passed to the Latimers.
In the 3rd of King Edward II., William, son and heir of William de Bovile, and
Isabel his wife, was impleaded for this lordship, and the church of Dalinghoo,
by William de Huntingfield; who descended from Emma, another sister and co-heir
of Jeffrey de Glanvile, wife of John de Grey.
In the 48th of King Henry III., William de Bovile was constituted Keeper of the
Peace, in Suffolk, by letters patent; and the following year, the King's Justice
Itinerant, to enquire of misdemeanors in the said county. It appears by the
Escheat Rolls, in the 30th of King Edward I., that William de Bovile held seven
fees and a half in Letheringham, Greeting, and Thorp, in this county, at Leys,
in Essex, and elsewhere.
This William appears to have been son of John de Bovile, who in the 7th of
Edward II., settled the manor of Dennington on Richard de Wingfield, for life;
and the advowson of the same parish, on Roger de Wingfield, for life; remainder
to William de Bovile, son of the said William, entail, male; remainder to
Thomas, son of Thomas le Latimer, entail, male; remainder to Simon Fitz Richard,
and Nicholaa his wife; remainder to his right heirs.1
The manors of Naunton Hall (or Alderton Hall), Bovile's, and Pechy's, were
formerly vested in the Bacons, of Friston; and Hugh Chamberlen, Esq., M.D.,
became possessed of the same by his marriage with Mary, only daughter and
heiress of Nathaniel Bacon, Esq., of that parish. By this marriage he left three
daughters, his co-heirs, viz.: Mary (who died unmarried), Anna-Maria, and
Charlotte.
Anna-Maria married that distinguished statesman, the Right Hon. Edward Hopkins,
M.P. for Coventry, in the time of King William III., and Queen Anne, and
Secretary of State for Ireland. Charlotte married Richard Luther, Esq., of
Myles, in Essex; and this estate continued for many years, the undivided
property, in equal moieties, of their descendants. Sir Charles Egerton Kent,
Bart., was lately owner thereof. It is now vested, by purchase, in Andrew
Arcedeckne, of Glevering Hall, Esq.
Robert Naunton, the author of "Fragmenta Regalia," was horn in 1563, being the
son of Henry Naunton, Esq., of this parish, and Elizabeth his wife, whose maiden
name was Ashby. Of the occurrences of his early years no account remains; the
following is transcribed from "Fuller's Worthies of Suffolk:"
"Sir Robert Naunton was born in this county, of right ancient extraction; some
avouching that his family were here before, others than they came in with the
Conqueror, who rewarded the chief of that name, for his service, with a great
inheritrix, given him in marriage; insomuch that his lands were then estimated
at (a vast sum in my judgment) seven hundred pounds a year. For a long time they
were patrons of Alderton, in this county, where I conceive Sir Robert was born.
"He was bred Fellow Commoner in Trinity College, and then Fellow of Trinity
Hall, in Cambridge. He was Proctor of the University, anno Domini 1600-1, which
office, according to the Old Circle, returned not to that College but once in
forty-four years. He addicted himself from his youth to such studies as did tend
to accomplish him for public employment. I conceive his most excellent piece,
called ' Fragmenta Regalia,' set forth since his death, was a fruit of his
younger years.
"He was afterwards sworn Secretary of State to King James, on Thursday the
eighth of January, 1617; which place he discharged with great ability and
dexterity. He died anno Domini 1630, and was buried at Letheringham. "
Sir Robert married Penelope, the daughter and sole heir of Sir Thomas Perrot,
Knt., by Dorothy, the daughter of Walter, Earl of Essex. The only surviving
offspring of this marriage, was a daughter, Penelope; who was first married to
Paul Viscount Bayning, and afterwards to Philip Lord Herbert, fifth Earl of
Pembroke.
In 1510, George Mawer was rector of this parish, and of Ditchingham and Eccles,
in Norfolk: in 1512, he was Doctor of the Degrees, and in 1513, had a
dispensation from Pope Leo, to hold several benefices. Dr. Mawer was also
Commissary of Suffolk Archdeaconry.
John Walker, S.T.P., Archdeacon of Essex, and rector of this parish, was
installed third Prebend in Norwich Cathedral, in 1569.
Richard Frank, D.D., rector of this parish, and of Hardwick, with Shelton, in
Norfolk, died August 18, 1810. He was formerly of Trinity College, Cambridge;
and proceeded, A.B., 1766; A.M., 1769; and S.T.P., 1704. Dr. Frank was one of
his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for this county.
Mem. A portion of the steeple of this parish church fell down during
divine service, Nov. 4, 1821. No actual injury, however, was sustained by any
one of the congregation.
CHARITIES. The charity estate consists of a house and garden, let at
£.15 a year, and two acres of land, at the
rent of £. 4 10s., which is laid out
principally in bread, and partly in wood and coals, for the poor. The annual sum
of £.3, is also distributed in weekly
portions, among poor persons, under the will of Thomas Trusson, who died in or
about 1687: and is a rent charge out of an estate in this parish belonging to
Mr. John Toppell.
1. The manor of Badingham, in this county, was then settled in
the same way. See Letheringham.
County
of Suffolk
Topographical and Genealogical, The County of Suffolk, 1844, Augustine Page |
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