Church Monument of the Month - May 2025 - St. Mary's, Redgrave

St. Mary’s, Redgrave in Suffolk is a church that has had many royal connections throughout it’s history. Cardinal Wolsey was rector here in 1506, although it is unclear whether he ever visited. Sir Nicholas Bacon, who was Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, during the first half of Elizabeth I reign, purchased Redgrave manor in 1545 and started to build Redgrave Hall. Sir Nicholas was buried in Old St. Paul’s Cathedral and his grave and monument were lost in the Great Fire of London in 1666. However, his son, also Sir Nicholas, and his grandson, Sir Edmund are buried at St. Mary’s, Redgrave. Among the older Sir Nicholas’ many children was Francis Bacon, the famous philosopher and statesman. Francis Bacon’s mother, Sir Nicholas’ second wife, was Anne Cooke, who was the sister of Lady Mildred Cooke, who married William Cecil, chief adviser to Queen Elizabeth for most of her reign. It is likely through this connection with the Cecils that Sir Nicholas obtained the prestigious position of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. 

By his first wife, Jane Ferneley, Sir Nicholas, had six children, among them his eldest son and heir named after himself. The younger Sir Nicholas was the first man to be made a baronet in 1611. Before this he had an illustrious political and legal career, serving as a Member of Parliament, puritan leader and conducting inquiries for the Privy Council. Sir Nicholas, the younger, was married to Anne Butts, who was the granddaughter of Sir William Butts, physician of Henry VIII. Sir Nicholas and his family lived at Culford House near Redgrave and were visited by King James VI and I in 1612. Shortly before his death it was discovered that Sir Nicholas had embezzled funds. In his will, he left his two eldest sons, Sir Edmund and Sir Robert, to sort out his debts.

Sir Edmund inherited his father’s title of Baronet and had a career in politics, largely aided by his family connections. He married Phillippa Wotton, niece of the diplomat and royal spy, Sir Henry Wotton. Sir Henry apparently enjoyed the company of the Bacon’s and would often visit them at home, once writing about the couple that “there is in their conversations, and in the freedom of their entertainment, a kind of delightful violence". After Phillippa died in 1626, Sir Edmund had a monument built for her at St. Mary’s, which was praised by Sir Henry. The mid 1620’s must have been a challenging time for Sir Edmund, given that his wife and his father died within two years of each other. 

A tomb had already been built at the east end of the north aisle by the younger Sir Nicholas Bacon for his wife in 1616. The tomb was made by Bernard Janssen, the king’s engineer. After Sir Nicholas’ death in 1624, Sir Edmund commissioned Nicholas Stone, later to become royal stonemason, to carve the effigies of both his parents in white marble to be placed on the tomb. 

Nicholas Stone also designed the Bacon Chapel at the west end of the north aisle. It contains black-and-white marble niches, and a slab of white marble on the floor decorated with a black marble cross fleury with the word ELEVATVR carved on one side. Two of the windows in the north aisle were partly blocked, probably to accommodate the memorials. Bones of other members of the Bacon family were also placed in the vault after being removed from All Saints’, Garboldisham, when it became dilapidated in 1734. On the walls are finely carved tablets, one by Nicholas Stone and one probably by his son John, with other memorial tablets on the walls of the chancel in memory of members of the Bacon family.

Sir Edmund had no children and was succeeded by his younger brother Robert, who was succeeded by his grandson Edmund, who was eventually succeeded by another Robert, who was forced to sell the estate in 1702 to pay off his debts. He sold the estate to Sir John Holt, Chief Justice of England from 1689 until his death. Holt is credited with playing a major role in bringing witch trials in England to an end. 

Holt had relatively humble beginnings and reportedly a troubled youth, prior to his legal career, including a short stint as a highway man. However, he turned things around after entering Gray’s Inn in about 1660 and became known as a supporter of civil and religious liberty and respected for his compassionate treatment of defendants. He did not believe in witchcraft and even though people were still tried for witchcraft at the time, the 20 or so trials he presided over ended in acquittal. He occasionally even prosecuted and punished those who accused others of witchcraft even prior to the Witchcraft Act of 1735, which made it a crime to accuse another person of witchcraft. Despite setting precedents that greatly influenced the Witchcraft Act, Holt died in 1710 and never saw this legislation passed. He is buried and commemorated at St. Mary’s with an extremely fine monument, carved in marble by Thomas Green of Camberwell, one of the most celebrated stonemasons of his time, which depicts Sir John in his judicial robes with figures of Justice and Mercy on either side.

Fun Fact: The Bacon baronetcy didn’t die out and there is still a Sir Nicholas Bacon, who is the current and 14th holder of the title and the Premier Baronet of England, because his forebear was the first ever man to be made baronet. The title was originally created by King James VI and I to raise funds for the crown. Baronets rank below Barons and above Knights Bachelor and were required to pay £1 a day for the upkeep of thirty soldiers for three years in exchange for their title, which was a very large sum at the time.