File:St Nicholas church Ashill Norfolk (343681346).jpg

St Nicholas church Ashill Norfolk. Text from Francis Blomefield, 'Hundred of Wayland: Ashill', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 2 (London, 1805), pp. 349-355 [1]:

On a white marble monument against the north chancel wall:

Near this place lies interr'd the Body of JOHN COTTON, Esq; (Son and Heir of ANTHONY, only Son of THOMAS Cotton, late of Panfield Hall in Com. Essex, Esq; the Heir male in lineal Descent of the Cotton's of w:Hamstall Ridware, originally of Cotton-under-Needwood in Staffordshire) who married Anne Daughter of JERMYN WRIGHT of Wangford Hall in Suffolk, Esq., (a younger son of Thomas Wright late of Kelverston in this County, Esq;) by whom he had Issue, Robert, John, Anthony, Thomas, George, (which two last died Infants) Jermyn, Charles, Anne, and Alice; he died 21st Dec. 1696, aetat(is suae) 55. ROBERT the eldest Son died un-married, 25 Aug. 1699, aetat(is suae) 30, and lies also interr'd near this Place, at whose Desire this Monument is erected, in Memory of his Father.

Wangford Hall dates from the 16th century and lies to the south of Wangford Church. It was the home of Sir Robert Wright, Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench to King James II. Cotton-under-Needwood is possibly today's w:Coton in the Elms situated 7 km south-east of Barton-under-Needwood. Kelverston=Kilverstone, Norfolk.

Arms: Quarterly of 4:

• 1: Azure, an eagle displayed argent armed gules (Cotton (modern)) (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.233 "Cotton of Ridward, Staffordshire, originally from Cheshire. This was the coat of Ridware adopted by Cotton after the marriage temp. Edward III of William Cotton with Agnes daughter and heir of Walter de Ridware; the ancient bearing of the Cottons was Argent, a bend sable between three pellets")
• 2: Argent, three martlets gules
• 3: Azure, two fesses argent
• 4: Argent, a fess gules a label of three points azure