Berkshire History: Family Heraldry: A

	ALLEN The Allen (or Alleyn) family appear to have been descended from Sir William Allen who was Lord Mayor of London in 1572. They came from Streatley where they appear in the Heralds' Visitations of 1623 & 1666. They were also Lords of the secondary Manor of Basildon and also of East Ilsley in the 18th century.
	ANNESLEY The Annesley family were originally from Nottinghamshire. One branch settled in Maidenhead (Bray) where they appear in the Heralds' Visitation of 1566. Martin Annesley who augmented certain charities in Reading, before 1822, may have been a descendant.
	ARCHES William de Arches married the heiress of the Turbervilles of East Hendred in the late 13th century and the family inherited the manor, which became named after them, not long afterwards. They were also Lords of the Manor of Catmore. In the mid-15th century, their estates passed to their descendants, the Eystons, who still own them today.
	ASTON Despite there being a well known Aston family established in Aston Tirrold in the mid-12th century, if not before, this family came from Aston in Cheshire. They married into the Willoughby family and inherited the Manor of Stanford-in-the-Vale in 1649. They remained in possession until at least 1784.