William Sancroft was born at Ufford Hall on 30th January 1617. He became Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in 1664, greatly assisting with its rebuilding after the Great Fire. From 1678 he was Archbishop of Canterbury, crowning James II in 1685. Following the glorious Revolution of 1688, having already given allegiance to James, he felt unable to swear a new oath to William and Mary and was deposed as Archbishop in 1690, returning to Ufford Hall where he died on 24th November 1693. William Sancroft made financial provision for the spiritual, education and administrative care of Fressingfield: in his arrangements the Vicar, a Village Schoolmaster and the Parish Clerk.