Charles Nassau Sutton was born on 9th February 1859 at Bury St Edmonds in Suffolk the seventh and last child of Captain Frederick Sutton and his second wife Georgiana Croft. The Suttons were a long established family descended from Sir Richard Sutton, 1st Baron Sutton of Norwood Park, (1733 - 1802). Georgina Croft was the daughter of the Venerable James Croft, Archdeacon of Canterbury and his wife Charlotte Manners-Sutton who was the daughter of the Most Reverend Charles Manners-Sutton, Archbishop of Canterbury, (1755 - 1828). Charles Manners-Sutton was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 1805 and being Charles Nassau Sutton's grandfather the nature of his appointment by George III is described in his book on Withyham.

In 1892 Charles Nassau Sutton was appointed Rector of Withyham having previously being Curate in 1882. As Rector he succeeded Thomas Frederick Rudston-Read (1811-1892)

In 1902 Sutton published Historical Notes of Withyham, Hartfield and Ashdown Forest together with the History of the Sackville Family which was the first of the generally available histories of the area and was the first historical account of the Sackville family

Charles Nassau Sutton had married at Chichester on 27th September 1883 Edith Mary Cafe the daughter of Haydon Lloyd Cafe. Together they had a son Charles Lexington Manners Sutton born 1891 at Chichester

Charles Nassau Sutton died on 23rd November 1916 and was buried on the 28th at Withyham Church.