He was heir to his oldest brother John who died unmarried and without issue.

"William of Newchurch was born in 1442 and lived at Cobbes Place. He was thirty years old on the death of his father. In 1480 (three years before the murder of the young princes in the Tower of London) at the age of 38, he was appointed Bailiff of New Romney. The Bailiff, in the right of the Archbishop of Canterbury, was the official head of the town of New Romney, and mandates, such as the summons for the Course of Shipway, were therefore, addressed to him. He had, in the Archbishop's right, the sole authority in the exercise of criminal jurisdiction in the St. Martin's Hundreds where royal functions were enjoyed by the Archbishop by special privilege." (Register of DanielRough)

"William married Alice Catts of Harrelsham and Barban, from whom he acquired property. His name is given in a list of gentlemen residing in Kent during the reign of Henry VII." (Archaelogia Cantana, Vol XI)

"William, the Bailiff, left a widow and three sons, Gervase, Edward and George. The eldest, Gervase inherited Cobbes Place at Newchurch but died without issue in 1512 and gave his estates to his two brothers. Edward held the Manor until his death in 1520. His younger brother George was Comman Clerk of New Romney and it is recorded in the Historical Manuscripts of Corporation of New Romney that he received payment, as such, of 12/6d. a quarter." (History of Kent,Hasted)

"As Common Clerk he would be required to write in Latin and Norman French and have a knowledge of the laws."