Thomas AYLING ²

  Notes:

Thomas was a younger son, a farmer, and a minor landowner. The burial register for Stedham gives his abode as Tote Hill, a farm overlooking the River Rother just over a mile north of Stedham village. Tote Hill became the family home for his branch of the Ayling family for most of the next Century.

Thomas married at least two times, and identified seven children in his will. His eldest son was probably John who died at Tote Hill two years after his father. His next son was Nicholas (qv). His next son Anthony was a farmer, married Eleanor Wase (the widow of Matthew Taylor), and left land in Stedham and Lurgashall to his younger son John. His next son Richard died when he was just 30, and left three young children to be brought up by his widow Joan Puttock. Little is known about his next son William, who had two daughters who were left small bequests by their uncle Anthony.

Thomas remarried in the mid-1570s to Elizabeth, and had three more children. Their daughter Mary was named in Elizabeth's but not Thomas' will - she married Ralph Capron in 1592, and had two daughters who were given small bequests in their grandmother's will. Their youngest two children were Agnes and Richard, who were both provided for in their parents' wills.

Thomas married Ann FOOKE on 12 Aug 1553 in St James, Stedham, Sussex.¹

Thomas next married Elizabeth. (Elizabeth was buried on 18 Oct 1598 in St James, Stedham, Sussex ¹.)