Index: xstream/src/java/com/thoughtworks/xstream/annotations/Annotations.java
===================================================================
--- xstream/src/java/com/thoughtworks/xstream/annotations/Annotations.java	(revision 844)
+++ xstream/src/java/com/thoughtworks/xstream/annotations/Annotations.java	(working copy)
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
 import java.lang.reflect.ParameterizedType;
 import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import com.thoughtworks.xstream.XStream;
@@ -114,9 +116,10 @@
             }
         }
 
-        //Do Member Level Alias and  XStreamContainedType
-        Field[] fields = configurableClass.getDeclaredFields();
-        for (Field field : fields) {
+        //Do Member Level Alias and XStreamContainedType
+        Map<String,Field> fields = new HashMap<String,Field>();
+        getAllFields(configurableClass, fields);
+        for (Field field : fields.values()) {
             if(field.isSynthetic()) continue;
 
             //Alias the member's Type
@@ -149,7 +152,14 @@
         }
     }
 
-
+    private static void getAllFields(Class<?> configurableClass, Map<String,Field> fields) {
+        Class<?> superClass = configurableClass.getSuperclass();
+        if (superClass != null && !Object.class.equals(superClass))
+            getAllFields(superClass, fields);
+        for (Field field : configurableClass.getDeclaredFields())
+            fields.put(field.getName(),field);  // if a field hides another, any annotation on the hidden field will be ignored
+    }
+    
     private static void registerConverter(XStream xstream, Class<? extends Converter> converterType) {
         Converter converter;
         if(configuredTypes.contains(converterType))
Index: xstream/src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/annotations/AnnotationsFieldTest.java
===================================================================
--- xstream/src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/annotations/AnnotationsFieldTest.java	(revision 0)
+++ xstream/src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/annotations/AnnotationsFieldTest.java	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+package com.thoughtworks.acceptance.annotations;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import com.thoughtworks.acceptance.AbstractAcceptanceTest;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.annotations.Annotations;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.annotations.XStreamAlias;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.annotations.XStreamContainedType;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.annotations.XStreamConverter;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.Converter;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.MarshallingContext;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.converters.UnmarshallingContext;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.io.HierarchicalStreamReader;
+import com.thoughtworks.xstream.io.HierarchicalStreamWriter;
+
+/**
+ * Simple tests for field annotations
+ * 
+ */
+public class AnnotationsFieldTest extends AbstractAcceptanceTest {
+    
+    public void testAnnotations()  {
+        Annotations.configureAliases(xstream, Person.class);
+        List<String> nickNames = new ArrayList<String>();
+        nickNames.add("johnny");
+        nickNames.add("jack");
+        Person person = new Person("john", "doe", 25, nickNames);
+        String xml = 
+                "<person>\n"+
+                "  <first-name>john</first-name>\n" +
+                "  <last-name>doe</last-name>\n" +
+                "  <age-in-years>25</age-in-years>\n" +
+                "  <nick-names>\n" +
+                "    <string>johnny</string>\n" +
+                "    <string>jack</string>\n" +
+                "  </nick-names>\n" +
+                "</person>";
+        assertBothWays(person, xml);
+    }
+    
+    public void testAnnotationsInSuperclass()  {
+        Annotations.configureAliases(xstream, GenderedPerson.class);
+        List<String> nickNames = new ArrayList<String>();
+        nickNames.add("johnny");
+        nickNames.add("jack");
+        GenderedPerson person = new GenderedPerson("john", "doe", 25, nickNames, "male");
+        String xml = 
+                "<gendered-person>\n"+
+                "  <gender>male</gender>\n" +
+                "  <first-name>john</first-name>\n" +
+                "  <last-name>doe</last-name>\n" +
+                "  <age-in-years>25</age-in-years>\n" +
+                "  <nick-names>\n" +
+                "    <string>johnny</string>\n" +
+                "    <string>jack</string>\n" +
+                "  </nick-names>\n" +
+                "</gendered-person>";
+        assertBothWays(person, xml);
+    }
+    
+    @XStreamAlias("person")
+    public static class Person {
+        @XStreamAlias("first-name")
+        String firstName;
+        @XStreamAlias("last-name")
+        String lastName;
+        @XStreamAlias("age-in-years")
+        int ageInYears;
+        @XStreamAlias("nick-names")
+        List<String> nickNames;
+        
+        public Person(String firstName, String lastName, int ageInYears, List<String> nickNames) {
+            this.firstName = firstName;
+            this.lastName = lastName;
+            this.ageInYears = ageInYears;
+            this.nickNames = nickNames;
+        }
+        
+        public boolean equals(Object obj) {
+            if((obj == null) || !(obj instanceof Person)) return false;
+            return toString().equals(obj.toString());
+        }
+        
+        @Override
+        public String toString() {
+            StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+            sb.append("firstName:").append(firstName)
+            .append(",lastName:").append(lastName)
+            .append(",ageInYears:").append(ageInYears)
+            .append(",nickNames:").append(nickNames);
+            return sb.toString();
+        }
+        
+    }
+
+    @XStreamAlias("gendered-person")
+    public static class GenderedPerson extends Person {
+        @XStreamAlias("gender")
+        String sex;
+
+        public GenderedPerson(String firstName, String lastName, int ageInYears, List<String> nickNames, String sex) {
+            super(firstName, lastName, ageInYears, nickNames);
+            this.sex = sex;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public String toString() {
+            StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(super.toString());
+            sb.append(",sex:").append(sex);
+            return sb.toString();
+        }
+    }
+}