Itteringham.com

Ayton Family


We are very grateful for all the information and material supplied by the present day families.

Other family pages will appear as we gather new information

If you have any memories, anecdotes or photos please let us know and we may be able to use them to update the site - contact details at the bottom of this page.

Robert and Mary Ayton were probably the first members of the family to move to Itteringham when they arrived in the 1760s. Robert was born around 1730 and married Mary Blackburn, probably between 1753 and 1755.

Mary was the daughter of Charles Blackburn and Sarah (née Waterson) and was baptised at Aylmerton in 1736. Robert and Mary's first son Robert, was baptised at Blickling on 31st May 1753 and they went on to have more children in Whitwell near Reepham over the next 12 years.

They then appear to have moved to Itteringham (probably Itteringham Common) from Whitwell sometime around 1765, where many of their descendants by name continued to live for the next 100 years.

It is not known where or when Robert died but Mary was buried in Itteringham on 7th December 1767.


The gravestone of Robert Ayton jnr who died
on 6th December 1818 aged 65

A number of researchers have investigated the history of this branch of the Ayton family over the past 30 years, and a tree of over 950 descendants of Robert and Mary is now in existence.

An outline of the top of the tree and the connections of the various researchers can be reached via this link: Ayton Family Tree
The Ayton family also has its own website: Ayton Family

This branch of the Aytons did not exist in Itteringham, Plumstead, Baconsthorpe, Whitwell, Reepham or Themelthorpe before the 1750's and the search for the origins of Robert Ayton in the surrounding parishes is ongoing.

It is possible that this branch of the Ayton name derives from the local name of Heydon, represented by a notable family at Baconsthorpe from the C13 to C17. Another possibility, given the earliest entries, is of a link to the name Eighteen, which is discussed on the general Ayton page on their website.

The gravestone of Stephen Ayton who died
on 7th December 1900 aged 76

Stephen Ayton was the great grandson of Robert Ayton snr., the grandson of James Ayton (1757-1819) and the son of Joshua Ayton (1790-1844).

The name Stephen came into the Ayton family from the Barwick family when Joshua married Mary Barwick. Mary was the daughter of Stephen Barwick (1769-1846) and Phoebe Brown (1777-1847) whom he married on 24th April 1792 at Wickmere. Mary had a brother, also called Stephen Barwick (1798-1776) who was buried at Itteringham having spent 50 years of his working life as a servant to Lord Orford.

Cecil Mark Barwick was born in 1906 and had a brother called Hiram. His parents were probably Stephen (b.1863) and Ruth (b.1870) née Riseborough.

There is an independant website for the Barwick family

The Ayton family flourished in the parish down to the end of the 19th century but by 1901 most of the male lines had moved away North Yorkshire, Durham, West Yorkshire, London and New Zealand and only a few representatives of the name remained in the village.

The Aytons became connected to several other Itteringham families including the Barwick, Broughton, Jeary, Peart and Grimble families. They were mainly tanners or fairly lowly agricultural labourers.

Ayton & Bell marriages
Ayton & Bell marriages


Plot 102 on the 1837 tithe map

The house within Plot no. 102 on the tithe map was owned by the 'town' of Itteringham in 1837 and was described as 'Town Houses & Garden', with the plot covering 3 roods, 11 perches. The house is now divided into two separate dwellings, with the right-hand side access adjacent to Orchard Farm on New Road.

In 1837, it was occupied by John Harrison, Elizabeth Riseberry, Hannah Smith, Thomas Riseberry, Joshua Ayton (1757-1819)and William Sparrow. Plots no. 107 and no. 136 on the tithe map were occupied by Samuel Fowl and Stephen Barwick (Joshua Ayton's father-in-law).
Plot no. 105 was occupied by James Bird and Joseph Ayton (currently unknown) and Plot no. 111a was occupied by Robert Hancock and Thomas Barwick (Joshua's brother-in-law). Plot no. 111a had no building at the time of the 1825 Enclosure and it seems likely that Thomas Barwick built the house there after his marriage in 1827.


2003 Ordnance Survey map
1837 tithe map

Henry Samuel Ayton and John Ayton both died in France during the first World War.

If you have any memories, anecdotes or photos please let us know and we may be able to use them to update the site. By all means telephone 07836 675369 or

 
Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004
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