‘Elizabeth Asty’s House’ in Long Street. Photograph taken November 2024
In the late 17th century and into the 18th century, Elizabeth Asty lived in a cottage in Long Street. The cottage together with a stable and bakehouse and several parcels of land, once belonged to Elizabeth’s mother before her marriage to Elizabeth’s father, George Asty. The cottage still stands in Long Street, near to the Baptist Chapel.
Elizabeth died c.1724. Although I know that Elizabeth Asty never married, I do not know exactly when she was born, or where. However I suspect she was born Great Ellingham.
The Asty Family in Great Ellingham
Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of yeoman George Asty and his wife Elizabeth. Her sister Mary was baptised in St James’s Church on the 28th September, 1666. Two year’s later, Susanna was baptised in the same church on the 1st April, 1668. George and Elizabeth Asty also had another daughter, Hannah. I have not found reference to her baptism. However, there are gaps in the surviving parish registers.
Given that in his will of 1680 George Asty specifically refers to Elizabeth as his ‘eldest daughter’, we can be sure that Elizabeth was born before her sister Mary (i.e. before 1666). Accordingly, Elizabeth was at least 60 years of age when she died.
Great Ellingham Baptist Church
There has been a Baptist Church in Great Ellingham since 1699. Before the present Baptist Chapel was built in 1824, members of the Baptist Church met in a barn or outhouse belonging to Elizabeth Asty. This ‘barn or outhouse’ is possibly the ‘stable and bakehouse’ referred to in Elizabeth’s will.
Elizabeth Asty’s Will
From Elizabeth Asty’s will dated 7th September, 1724, we know that her cottage was built on freehold land, and the stable and bakehouse were built on copyhold land.
I believe the bakehouse was copyhold of the Manor of Ellingham Hall.
Gift to the Trustees of the Baptist Church
In her will, Elizabeth bequeathed some of her freehold land, the cottage and her copyhold land with a bakehouse and stables, to the Trustees of the Baptist Church. However, the gift of the copyhold land with the bakehouse and stables was subject to a life tenancy in favour of Elizabeth’s cousin Mary Baldro.
Nevertheless, Elizabeth Asty instructed the Trustees to purchase the freehold of the copyhold land (including the bakehouse and stables). Further (and providing they did this), they were to “pull down ye bakehouse chimney and with ye bricks thereof shall make ye other chimney in ye freehold dwellinghouse to be a brick chimney …” She also instructed the Trustees to enlarge the stables by adding the bakehouse.
It was also Elizabeth’s wish that the rent arising from the freehold house and land should be used for the maintenance and upholding of “such Minister or Ministers as do preach or shall preach in ye Meeting House standing upon ye same premises to ye Particular Baptist Church gathered together and joyned in Gospel fellowship during ye time of liberty ……”
Burial Ground
Elizabeth also gave one acre of freehold pasture ground to the Trustees for a “Burial plais”. This became the Baptist Burial Ground.
Other Legacies & Gifts
The will also includes various other legacies including monetary gifts. The many beneficiaries include her cousins, Mary Baldro and Mary Quadling.
Members of the Asty family also appear in the will. Robert Asty and John Asty, “ye sons of Mr Robert Asty deceased late Minister to ye Congregational Church in Norwich” are mentioned along with John Asty of Orford, Suffolk.
The Poor of the Parish
The Poor of Great Ellingham were not forgotten. Elizabeth left £2 to the Poor of the Baptist Church.
She also bequeathed the sum of £10 to the churchwardens and overseers of the Poor in Great Ellingham towards the building of a house (presumably a dwelling to house the poor) on the condition that the ‘chief inhabitants’ [of the parish] also contribute £10 for the same purpose. However if this condition was not met, then the £10 to be used for the best improvement of the poor of Great Ellingham.
As it happens, an Alms House benefiting the poor was built – but not until c.1769, some 45 years after Elizabeth’s death. However it is, of course, possible that an earlier house for the poor was built.
The Baptist’s Meeting House
Following Elizabeth’s death, Great Ellingham Baptist Church continued to meet in the premises near to (or adjoining) her cottage. The present Baptist Chapel was built in 1824 near to the Meeting House and cottage.
Elizabeth Asty’s Cottage
The ‘Statement of Claims’ for Great Ellingham prepared in connection with the Great Ellingham Inclosures c.1800, show the Trustees of the Baptist Church as owning two messuages and five acres of land. The dwellings and land are occupied by the then Baptist Minister John Ewing. He had taken up the pastorate at Great Ellingham in 1790.
The statement also tells us that all the property is freehold. Accordingly we can be confident that the Trustees dealt with the enfranchisement of that part of Elizabeth Asty’s copyhold land (that is, the land with the bakehouse and stables) in accordance with Elizabeth Asty’s will. It also follows that the Trustees carried out Elizabeth’s wishes relating to the enlargement of the stables with the bakehouse.
However, I do not know for certain when the cottage was first occupied by a Baptist Minister. Nevertheless, the cottage continued to be occupied by the Baptist Minister in Great Ellingham until the present Manse was built and completed in 1852.
Sources:
Will of Elizabeth Asty. Norfolk Record Office. ANF will register 1721-1726. fo.344 (1724-1726 no.64) Asty, Elizabeth of Great Elingham, 1724-1726. Microfilm MF 225
Will of George Asty. Norfolk Record Office. ANF will register 1681-1683 fo.17. no.5 Asty, George of Ellingham 1681. Microfilm MF 217.
Great Ellingham Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office PD 609. Also available via www.familysearch.org
Baptist Church, Great Ellingham Minute Book September 29th 1849. Thanks to Great Ellingham Baptist Church & Hugh Collier
The Story of 300 years of the Baptist Church at Great Ellingham – David Bugden