He was born at Kirby Wiske, near Northallerton, Yorkshire, the third son of John Ascham (d. 1544) of Kirby Wiske, who was a yeoman farmer and steward to Lord Scrope of Bolton, and his wife, Margaret.
in 1540, and in 1553 was presented by Edward VI to the vicarage of Burneston, Yorkshire.
He is probably to be identified with Anthony, the brother of Roger Ascham (cf.
Grant's Vita Axchami in Ascham's Works, ed.
Ascham is also the suggested author, by some researchers, of the Voynich manuscript.