William Aston (Irish judge)

Sir William Aston (1613-1671) was an English-born barrister, politician and soldier, who fought with distinction in Ireland for King Charles I during the English Civil War.

Although he made his peace with the Cromwellian regime after the King's defeat, he is believed to have remained a convinced Royalist at heart.

[5][6] Elrington Ball, in his comprehensive study of the pre-1921 Irish judiciary, argues that despite his apparent change of side, his loyalty to the Crown was never really in doubt: certainly, early in 1660, he was known to be actively supporting the Restoration of Charles II.

[7] As a judge he presided over one of the last Irish witch trials, that of Florence Newton of Youghal at the Cork assizes: the fate of the accused is not known for certain, though it is generally thought that she was hanged.

[10] As well as his townhouse, he also had a country estate with a 15th Century castle at Richardstown in County Louth, which he obtained from the historic White family.

[8] The crime was considered so grave, and his defence of his actions so feeble, amounting to an unsupported claim that Keating had insulted Aston's wife, that the Crown, despite his high social standing, clearly decided to make an example of him.

[14] Although his property was forfeit to the Crown, the King, on the petition of the judges who had presided at the trial, agreed to restore it to his widow, who was living in poverty with her four children.

[17] Sir William married thirdly, after 1661, Ursula Stockton, daughter of his judicial colleague, Thomas Stockton, and his wife Ursula Bellot, sister of Sir John Bellot, of Great Moreton Hall, Cheshire, and had one surviving son, Thomas.