Perhaps the most famous person to be born (or at least baptised) in Little Saxham, was Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington.
To view a portrait of the Earl of Arlington, click here to go to the National Portrait Gallery site. (NPG copyright material)
The Parish Registers show our 'Henrye, soone of Sir John Bennett, Knight, & Lady Dorrithy his wife' being baptised on 6th September 1618. Just two days later another baptism took place, that of Charles Crompton, son of Sir John and Lady Frances. It is most likely that these illustrious people happened to be staying at Little Saxham Hall with Sir John Crofts at that time. Perhaps the baptisms were arranged, the births having taken place some time earlier, probably in London. We know that King James I stayed at the Hall in February 1620, December 1621 and February 1622, so it was clearly the place to stay!
Arlington was secretary of state under Charles II from 1662 to 1674 and a leading member of Charles' "Cabal" ministry (Arlington was the first 'A' in CABAL). Besides directing foreign policy for twelve years, Arlington, by creating the nucleus of a 'court party' (the future Tories) in the House of Commons, helped to create the party system in England.
Bennet served as Charles' agent in Madrid while both were in exile after the English Civil War. As secretary of state Bennet (created Baron Arlington in 1663 and given an earldom in 1672) survived parliamentary censure for the conduct and result of the second Anglo-Dutch War (1665-67). With the fall of the 1st Earl of Clarendon, the lord chancellor, in 1667, Arlington became in effect the chief minister of state.
A sceptic in religion (although on his deathbed he professed himself a Roman Catholic), he used the fear of popery to rouse popular feeling against France.
In 1674 Arlington, denounced by the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, was impeached for embezzlement, 'betrayal of trust', and promoting Roman Catholicism. The charges failed, but Arlington resigned the secretary of stateship (11 September 1674) for the safer but lucrative position of Lord Chamberlain. He held that office until his death on 28 July 1685, early in the reign of James II.
His main home was nearby Euston Hall (pictured right).
Upon the death of the previous Rector, William Hall, The Reverend Kilner took over the post on 27 April 1885. He was to remain as rector for 36 years, until he retired in 1921. He died 14 years later, in 1935.
He was the son of John Kilner, surgeon, of Bury St Edmunds. He was educated at Bury Grammar School and St John's College, Cambridge. Previous to coming to Little Saxham, he had been the Rector of Chedburgh (1878 to 1885).
He was not buried in Little Saxham churchyard, but a headstone was installed by his wife in his memory; it is the furthest east of the line of stones in front of the church.