Discover more about region’s “most important but forgotten battle”

25 Mar 2025

The Battlefields Trust has held a short ceremony to mark the installation of two information boards at the site of The Battle of St Genevieve - 17 October 1173.

The boards have been funded by Suffolk County Council’s locality funding organised by councillors Beccy Hopfensperger and Robert Everitt and delivered in partnership with West Suffolk Council.

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 17 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.

A group of Battlefields Trust members and representatives from Suffolk County Council, West Suffolk Council and All Saints Hotel held a brief on site ceremony to launch the new boards.

Local historian, Dr M J Walker, author of ‘A Hard and Grievous Battle: The Siege of Haughley Castle and the Battle of Fornham in 1173’, published in 2023, commented that “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, which has been under rated in importance simply because, until recently, less was known about it and it had not been researched in detail. 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 Richard de Lucy’s comprehensive defeat of the Earl of Leicester’s Flemish mercenaries was as a turning point in the Great Revolt against Henry II”.

Cllr Ian Shipp, Cabinet Member for Leisure at West Suffolk Council said: “Part of the council’s strategic priority for Thriving Communities is about helping our residents to be able to explore and connect with our local history and heritage. The Battle of Fornham – one of the most important battles this region has even seen – is part of that heritage. West Suffolk Council heritage service has proudly supported the Battlefields Trust in bringing to light this often-overlooked moment in our history. People will be able to discover more about the importance of this battle and how it unfolded through the information boards and visit the council run Moyse’s Hall Museum to see artefacts of national note recovered from the battle site, including stunning 12th Century Sword kindly donated to our public collections by the MacRae Clan. We’d like to thank the Battlefields Trust for the opportunity to work in partnership with them, and Suffolk county councillors, Beccy Hopfensperger and Robert Everitt, for their funding support which has helped achieve this project.”

Joshua Harris of All Saints Hotel, where most of the battle took place, commented “We are delighted to have worked with the Battlefields Trust and local councillors to locate the information boards at All Saints Hotel. It is important to understand and appreciate the history of the local area and we are pleased to be able to share this with visitors to the golf course and hotel"

David Austin, National Operations Director of the Battlefields Trust commented:
“The Battlefields Trust is very pleased to see the unveiling of the Battle of Fornham information boards and we would like to express our thanks to Josh Harris and his team at All Saints Hotel, councillors Beccy Hopfensperger and Robert Everitt who have helped with the funding and Daniel Clarke and his team at Moyse's Hall Museum for their help and support. This battle was one of the biggest to ever take place in East Anglia and it is very good to see that it is now achieving the recognition that it deserves.”

---