News

Two new battle interpretation boards unveiled at Fornham, Suffolk

30 March 2025

Tuesday 25th March 2025 saw a group of 20 hardy souls unveil two information boards on the site of The Battle of Fornham St Genevieve - 17th October 1173.

Fornham is the site of East Anglia’s greatest loss of life in a battle.

The Boards have been funded by Suffolk County Council and delivered in partnership with West Suffolk Council and the All-Saints Hotel, where most of the battle took place.

Following short speeches from BT East Anglia Region Coordinator, Robert Simmons, manager Joshua Harris of All Saints Hotel, and Director of BT Operations David Austin, the group moved inside the hotel for a short presentation on the battle itself from Dr M J Walker, author, ‘A Hard and Grievous Battle: The Siege of Haughley Castle and the Battle of Fornham in 1173’.

The Battle of Fornham was a major part of the Revolt of 1173-74 against the founding Plantagenet King, Henry II (King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189). The Battle was fought surrounding the valley of the River Lark about 3 km to the north of Bury St. Edmunds near the church of St. Genevieve, on the eastern side of the River Lark on 17th October 1173.

Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester led an army of at least 4,000 troops against troops loyal to King Henry II. The King’s forces won the battle and most of the rebel army were killed on the battle site.

The Battle of Fornham in 1173 is one of the most important and decisive medieval battles to have taken place in England, and it is exceptional in that, unlike almost all other medieval battles, we know precisely where it took place and who was there. The new Battlefield Trust information boards provide comprehensive and succinct analysis and are a significant step in the rehabilitation of this ‘forgotten’ battle. These boards show visitors to the site not only what happened, and how the terrain was so instrumental in the outcome, but also how significant Henry II’s Judiciar, Richard de Lucy’s comprehensive defeat of the Earl of Leicester’s Flemish mercenaries was a turning point in the Great Revolt against the King.

After the presentation a smaller group faced the increasingly drafty weather for a short tour of the battle site.

The event has had extensive press coverage from the local BBC and media and the work undertaken by the Trust has created a lot of local interest and surprise that this corner of Suffolk should have such an important part to play in our history.

See this link:   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y216vpd74o