English:

St Mary's Church, Redenhall, Norfolk, the Gawdy Hall Chapel. Source: Farrer, Edmund, Church Heraldry of Norfolk, Vol 1 (1885), p.19 [1]. Arms of Wogan of Gawdy Hall, in the parish of Redenhall: Or, on a chief sable three martlets of the field (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.1127 "Wogan of Rathcoffey (Castle), County Kildare, Ireland") with inescutcheon of pretence for an heiress wife: Argent, on a chevron between three crosses pattée gules as many martlets/doves of the field (Sancroft, per Farrer, with martlets argent) (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884 "Sandcroft" (sic), with doves argent; Papworth, John Woody, Alphabetical Dictionary of Coats of Arms Belonging to Families in Great Britain and Ireland, Vol.I, London, 1874, p.508, "Sancroft", same blazon as Burke, with doves argent). Crest: A lion's head erased gules. Motto: In Caelo Quies. For John Wogan (1713-1778), Esq., of Gawdy Hall and of Boulston in the county of Pembroke, South Wales, who died May 31st, 1778, aged 65. Elizabeth Sancroft (1714-1788), his wife (a daughter of William Sancroft of Ufford Hall, Fressingfield, Suffolk), who died January 25th, 1788, aged 74. John Wogan their son, who died June 20th, 1763, aged 27. Elizabeth Wogan their daughter, who died February 28th, 1773, aged 18. Also the Rev. Gervas Holmes, nephew and heir of John Wogan, who died February 17th, 1796, aged 54. (Text per Farrer).

A childhood portrait of Elizabeth Sancroft (1714-1788) and her sister Catherine Sancroft (c. 1716-1780) painted by James Maubert was sold by Sotheby's Auctioneers in 2022 "Lot 40, Important British Paintings 1500-1850". Provenance: "Probably commissioned by William Sancroft (1683-1720), the sitter's father; By descent to Sarah Wogan, daughter of Catherine Sancroft and John Wogan, who married the Rev. Gerva Holmes; Thence by descent to John Sancroft Holmes (1847-1920), Gawdy Hall. Literature: Prince Duleep Singh, Portraits in Norfolk Houses, 1927, Vol. I, p. 24, illus. opposite p. 160 Catalogue Note: The sitters were the daughters of William Sancroft of Fressingfield Hall, Suffolk and his wife Catherine Cotton, daughter of Sir John Cotton of Lenwade. The Sancrofts were a distinguished Suffolk family. William's great uncle, William Sancroft (1617-1693) was the Dean of St Paul's who masterminded the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral and who later became Archbishop of Canterbury".

The two daughters were substantial heiresses, having inherited from their father the Suffolk manors of Fressingfield, Ufford, Chepenhall and Metfield. The eldest daughter Elizabeth married John Wogan, who came from a Pembrokeshire family and owned Gawdy Hall in Norfolk, as well as a house in Wigmore Street and at Boulton in Pembrokeshire. On the death of Elizabeth and her husband, the Suffolk estates were sold and Gawdy Hall passed to the Reverend Gervas Holmes, Vicar of Fressingfield, who married Elizabeth's daughter Sarah.

According to George Vertue, the painter Maubert, who was probably born in Ireland, studied in Dublin with the Flemish artist Gaspar Smitz. This ambitious conversation piece is one of his finest works, comparable to the two portraits which he painted for the Bathurst family (one sold at Sotheby's on 23 June 1971). He was admired by Vertue, particularly for his ability to paint flowers - 'a good Ingenious civil man... he not only paints from the Life but is very skillful in painting of fruits & flowers. his draperys are well dispos'd & natural'.' (George Vertue's Notebooks, Walpole Society. Vol. XXII, 1934, p. 28).

In 1806 John Wogan of Gawdy Hall owned the manors of Redenhall, Coldham-hall, Holbrook-hall, Merks, and Hawkers. (Francis Blomefield, 'Hundred of Earsham: Redenhall', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 5 (London, 1806), pp. 358-372. [2] )

Other information

St Mary's church > 1431114 is situated on an elevation above the small village of Redenhall. Its magnificent 15th century tower, which took 60 years to build, can be seen for miles > 1431112. Like the equally grand north porch its west facade is covered entirely with flushwork > 1431143. The chancel dates from the 14th century but the church was extensively restored in the second half of the 19th century and the reredos are from this time. The rood screen > 1431153 was re-assembled in 1920 and the panels are over-restored. The tomb of Sir Thomas Gawdy lies between the chancel and the Gawdy chapel at the east end of the north aisle. The heraldic glass in the chapel window > 1431183 comes from the demolished Gawdy Hall as does a 15th century Venetian chest > 1431187 made from cypress wood and with rare paintings inside. The large organ > 1431195 at the west end was built by G.M. Holdich in 1843 - it is the biggest organ he ever built and it has not been altered. The font > 1431201 is a 19th century copy of an older one. St Mary's church is kept locked.