Friends of St Peter's - Forncett

16/10/2026

15/10/2026

Have you noticed the beautiful brass lecturn in the nave. This Arts & Crafts piece depicts the lovely leaves and tendrils of ivy. Easily overlooked, it brings nature and its symbolism into the church. In the churchyard too, ivy weaves its spell. Some believed long ago that the ivy represented Mary mother of Jesus. Folklore also speaks of it as a symbol of strength and fertility.

Find our more here https://forncett.info/index.php/the-churchyard/from-the-churchyard-holly-and-ivy

08/10/2026

The closing months of the year of 1790 brought immense joy to Dorothy Wordsworth who was living with her uncles' family. William made his second and longer six week stay at Forncett Rectory. "Every morning they walked in the country. Every evening they paced the avenue of limes or up and down the long gravel walk of the garden from four to six, heedless of the whistle of the North wind amongst the trees over their heads, heedless of the cold." We know that here William wrote one short sonnet, untitled, but known as 'Sweet was the Walk'.

'Sweet was the walk along the narrow lane
At noon, the bank and hedge-rows all the way
Shagged with wild pale green tufts of fragrant hay,
Caught by the hawthorns from the loaded wain,
Which Age with many a slow stoop strove to gain;
And childhood, seeming still most busy, took
His little rake; with cunning side-long look,
Sauntering to pluck the strawberries wild, unseen.
Now, too, on melancholy's idle dreams
Musing, the lone spot with my soul agrees,
Quiet and dark; for through the thick wove trees
Scarce peeps the curious star till solemn gleams
The clouded moon, and calls me forth to stray
Thro' tall, green, silent woods and ruins gray.'

From windows in the Rectory they would have seen the timeless grey tower, encircled by rooks and the peaceful graveyard. It is tempting to imagine that on Sundays, William and Dorothy would have made the short journey to join the farming families and gentry of Forncett, sitting quietly on a wooden pew, light slanting through high clerestory windows, to hear their uncle's sermons.

Thanks to Forncett Archive for the postcard of Forncett St Peter's Church & Rectory around 1900, Jarrolds Forncett Archive.

02/10/2026

Join us at Forncett Village Hall tomorrow, Saturday from 10am -12noon for our market. Plenty of delicious cakes and savouries for you to buy as well as books and puzzles . Our cafe will be open for drinks and cakes.
We are also taking orders for our Christmas bakes.

24/09/2026

Last month we posted about the visitor’s book in St Peter’s and how it is a fascinating insight into how St Peter’s is able to draw people from all over the world. Here are a few more examples and it's not just visitors from overseas, there are many from the UK as you'll see from some of our future posts!

Australia
• 22-9-2011 Anne and Alison Ringer from Melbourne wrote: “Great, great, great grandparent married here”.
• 9-10-1980 Mrs F.G. Hunt from Sydney wrote: “Tower of great interest, also pew ends”.

South Africa
• 20-4-1984 B.W. Buisman from Port Elizabeth and G. J. Buisman from Graaf-Reinet wrote: “John Armstrong D.D., a previous rector, founded St Andrews College, Grahamstown – a major church school, when 1st Bishop of Grahamstown”.

America
• 29-5-2001 Bob and Judy Toll from Oakland, California wrote: “We were lucky to have a very nice man let us into church especially (for us) the benchend carvings”.
• 26-6-2016 Michael and Julie Greicius from Palo Alto, California wrote: “Beautiful church and grounds. The Bells! The Bells!”.
• 1996. Stan and Alma Andrus from fair Oaks, California wrote: “What a beautiful church. My ancestor was baptised here in 1683”.

Canada
• 25-6-2015 Mark Bonka from Canmore, Albert wrote: “Looking for our g. g. g. g. g. grandmother Mary Coan, nee Tyrell, reputedly buried here in 1790”.

17/09/2026

Churchyard family fun with Norfolk Wildlife Trust, August 2026

In August Friends of St Peter’s and the Norfolk Wildlife Trust ran 3 very successful family sessions in the churchyard looking at nature. The first session ‘Tracks and Trails’ focussed on what signs to look for to find out what wildlife might be found in a churchyard. Signs included tracks, droppings, owl pellets and bones. The second ‘Minibeast Hunting’ involved looking for and recording minibeasts which involved shaking trees and trawling through grass and weeds. The final session ‘Wild Art’ gave participants a chance to create art from or inspired by nature through making and drawing using clay and natural materials.

The sessions were a great success as can be seen by some of the quotes from those taking part:
• “The kids absolutely loved it and got really involved.”
• “You don't realise how much nature is around you until you take the time to look.”
• “Excellent fun & learning for adults & children.”

Later this year we will be launching our Nature and History Trails which will allow people to explore the rich nature and history that we are lucky to have in the Forncetts.

07/09/2026

We are joining with the Forncett History Group on Friday, 11th September to hear a talk by Dale Wiseman about the Norwich Milk Boy. This is a fascinating character who was born in Forncett in 1832 and found world wide fame as a runner. Entry to this event at Forncett Village Hall, is free. There will be a bar selling w**e and b**r as well as serving tea and coffee. Donations to our project to complete restoration of the church including redecoration and heating, would be appreciated.
Forncett Village Hall, Low Road, Forncett St Mary, Norwich, NR16 1JG

27/08/2026

We’re very lucky in Forncett to have the Steam Museum and the Tank Museum, both of which bring in visitors from far and wide, but you might be surprised to learn that St Peter’s church does too! Take a look at the visitor’s book in the church and you’ll see that people come from all over the world to visit – here are a few examples and we will post some more on another occasion and also some interesting ones from around the UK – watch this space!

Australia
• 17-7-1994. Tim and Gill Radford and Fleur from Sydney wrote: “Grandson of Dr L. B. Radford, rector 1896-1902. He moved to Holt then emigrated to Australia as warden of St Paul’s College in 1907. Then he became 4th Bishop of Goulburn. My father was born at the rectory in 1898. Lovely to see it ‘restored’”.

• 1-8-1998. Dorothy Seed (nee Coming) from Windsor and Angela Kellett (nee Seed) from Perth, Australia wrote: “Nice to see where Samuel Coming was baptised in 1616. He emigrated to the New World circa 1637-8. Wonderful to see a church so little changed and the carvings are superb”.

• 31-7-2015. Harriet and William Upjohn from Sydney wrote: “So lovely to be back here. We were married here 25 years ago – 15/9/90”.

America
• 14-5-1984. Maurice Baxter from San Diego, California wrote: “My ancestors Alice and John Baxter (nee Hales) married here November 5 1792”.

• 31-7-1986. Sallie Palcover from Forest Hills, New York wrote: “Best wishes for my nephew Fred and his bride Tracy, wedding Oct 4 1986”.

New Zealand
• 3-8-11. George McClean from Wellington wrote: “Great to see where my ancestors worshipped”.

Uganda
• 2-5-1999. Moses Matumba from Kampala wrote: “What a nice church to remain in my memory”.

Norway
• 23-2-12. Visitor (name indistinguishable) from Trondheim wrote: “Had a lovely rest on my long, long walk. Thanks for such a warm welcome to this lovely church”

20/08/2026

On July 23 we shared some reflections from Ruth Blackman, our project architect – here are some more.

“The quality of stone carving and the delight of the intricate details and mouldings have been repeated in the southeast nave kneeler, the original stone having been severely damaged by a corroded metal cramp and water ingress.

With the birdcage scaffolding in the nave, the entire roof space became a carpentry workshop, over the course of three months during the summer of 2025. Timbers requiring repair were carefully labelled and dismantled and cleaned, and working with a structural engineer, and in accordance with specification, carpenters prepared and executed half lap repairs and scarf joints, and in some instances, introduced new oak sections to replace those that have been completely destroyed by deathwatch beetles.

The south principal rafter to the west truss was also dismantled, cut back to retain many of the original moulded details and repaired with an offset central timber to reinstate its integrity. Other damaged timbers, like the smaller brace, for the westernmost south intermediate principal rafter, were replaced to match the existing rebated and carved brace, replicating details that included the mortise and tenon joints to the underside of the principal rafter and the walltop cornices and ties.

Where timber repairs were likely to risk either the loss of significant historic fabric, or where removing damaged timber could potentially compromise the integrity of the original carpentry, stainless steel plates were fabricated and installed, particularly to the north and south ends of the. west tie beam.

Having completed work to the chancel roof, and the chancel and nave gables, the chancel scaffolding was struck, not only revealing the soft pastel shades of the grey green Westmoreland slates, the grey rainwater goods, the pale blue fascia boards and the rich variation in the colours to the flintwork, but, from a perch at the west end of the nave roof, the most spectacular view of the Tas valley, on a bright morning in August during one of many regular site inspections.

The passion, devotion and commitment from all those involved has become embedded in the fabric that has a permanence and resilience to ensure that the church will remain at the heart of the village for those who follow in our footsteps.”

Many thanks must go to Ruth for her dedication and hard work in making St Peter’s safe for generations to come.

13/08/2026

A Country Wedding
Weddings have long taken place in St. Peter's, and what a perfect setting of rural tranquillity and ancient loveliness the church provides for the ceremony. In August, as if to set the seal on the long painstaking restoration, the first wedding since St. Peter's reopening took place.
Until the brief reign of Edward VI, weddings took place in the porch, but the young king decreed that this practice should be abolished and the ceremony be conducted in the main body of the church. In long ago days, weddings were an opportunity for the whole community to feast and make merry. The bride and groom would lead the way to the church on foot, followed by the entire community who would throw grain (the origin of rice and confetti) for fertility. Much revelry followed and much quaffing of liberally flowing ale. In many regions the Bridal Pie was an essential dish. This would be large and round with a thick crust, ornamented and garnished with sweetmeats, and in the middle sat a plump laying hen. The groom must serve the bride a portion, (hence 'bridegroom'), before anyone else. These weddings in country places were not expected to take place at harvest time:
'They that wive/Between sickle and scythe/
Shall never thrive,'
but they may well have taken place on a Sunday.
Many of today's traditions stem from the Middle Ages. Brides often wore blue, which was a symbol of purity. Garters were essential .The bride usually carried a bunch of herbs and strong smelling plants to ward off evil and this would be thrown for better effect, prefiguring the bouquet toss. Wedding cakes were built by contributions from many, piled into a tiered effect. The tradition of cake being broken over the bride's head however, thankfully, has not survived. Although the Church of England mandated the reading of banns for 3 Sundays, in many Norfolk villages, they were also pinned to front doors and boards. Another custom which has not continued is that the unmarried elder sisters of the bride must dance barefoot at their sister's wedding.
In 2016 the groom at a wedding at St Peter's was American, the bride had grown up in Forncett. Many Americans attended the wedding and all were astonished by the beauty and the antiquity of the church, by the tower and the skilful carvings and the rich resonance of music ringing across the villages from the bells.