Blofield

You're set to explore Blofield church, so we need to introduce you to Thomas Paston, his son Edward – and a few other members of the Paston family. You can meet Edward on your phone, if you haven't already done so, and you'll find his monument on the north wall of the chancel.

We know more about the family from the previous century – the 15th – because of the famous Paston Letters. Several hundred letters between members of the family and their associates still exist in the British Library; they are the best direct record we have of family life in England in the 15th century. Edward Paston's tomb.

Peace Between Families

For much of that time the Paston Family and the Heydon family were at daggers drawn – sometimes quite literally. But in 1495, the then Sir William Paston – there were lots of William Pastons in the family – married Bridget Heydon and brought the two families together. They had five children that we know of, with the youngest son, Thomas, being born in 1517.

During the 1530s King Henry VIII and his Chancellor Thomas Cromwell seized many of the lands that had been owned by the monasteries and priories of the Church. While we now call it the Reformation, when the nature of worship in the Church changed, it was also a time when the king sold off much of the land he had seized in order to improve his finances – and gave away some manors to his favourites. Thomas was lucky enough to be given Blofield, and several other manors.

In Favour at Court

Thomas may have been favoured at court as he was "a gentleman of the King's bedchamber". We can let you find out – or maybe just imagine – what a job like that sometimes entailed. His brother Clement was also well known at court; he had served the king as a captain at sea, then became one of the King's "pensioners" before becoming "a servant to the Queen" – Elizabeth I, that is.

Edward, Margaret, and their nine children.It was through Thomas and his wife Agnes that this branch of the Paston family would descend. If you go to the chancel at the far end of the church, you can see the memorial to one of his sons, Edward. He married Margaret Berney, and together they had nine children – you can see all of them on the memorial! King Edward VI became godfather to Edward Paston, and royal influence was at work again. Edward secretly returned to the Roman Catholic faith, which had been overturned as the Church of the land at the time of the Reformation. It was a dangerous time to make a stand in this way; so the recusants – those who refused to attend Anglican church services – formed a tight community who kept themselves to themselves.

Talented Musician

We do know quite a lot more about Edward because he was a talented musician. His father Thomas taught the young Princess Mary to play the virginal; so maybe Edward inherited his musical talent. He studied in Spain and played the lute. He composed quite a number of poems and songs and was a friend of other well-known musicians, such as William Byrd.

The full Paston arms on Clement's tomb.Look now for the memorial to his grandson Clement, in the main aisle. He died in 1662 but you can still clearly see the Paston coat of arms, the six fleurs-de-lys on a shield with an indented chief at the top of the shield. You have only to look at the numerous examples of this coat of arms around all the places we list with our various walks to realise how widespread and important the Paston family were across the county of Norfolk in the 16th and 17th centuries – before their world came tumbling down. You can also see on the tomb mention of another of their estates, at Barningham, built by his grandfather and home to Clement for much of his life.

Thomas's brother William made a new home for his branch of the family at Appleton in west Norfolk, and brother Edward went to live at Horton in Gloucestershire.

Margaret Eyre, first wife of the second Edward – sorry, it does become a bit confusing – is remembered in Blofield church. Margaret died young in childbirth, and Edward remembered her by arranging for a poem to be written to her – possibly by the poet laureate John Dryden. You can practise your Roman numerals and read the tender words for yourself.

Look again for a floor memorial to Colonel John Paston. He fought for the King during the English Civil War, and was one of the nine children of Edward and Margaret Berney. He was released from prison in 1655 and died in Town Barningham the same year.

If you're looking to delve deeper into the Paston family story, please join us at www.thisispaston.co.uk or on the other walks listed with this one on your phone.

Enjoy your exploring!