The Battle of Fornham

We gathered as a group outside the All Saints Hotel, overlooking the manicured lawns of the golf course. Situated on raised ground, the hotel stands above the River Lark, its grounds sloping gently down to the water, which meanders through the greens and fairways. Looking down over the crisp autumn morning, we stood in the footsteps of medieval Royalist Forces. In 1173, under the command of Richard de Lucy, a Royalist  army gathered on that very mound. The raised position, looking down towards the Lark, provided the advantage that saw their subsequent victory in the battle.

The Battle of Fornham was one of the biggest medieval battles on English soil. Today, the battle is unique and exceptionally significant as it is one of very few medieval battles for which the exact location of where it took place is known. During the walk, historian Dr Michael Walker, Cambridge historian and expert on the battle, guided us into the battlefield, which is now the site of the All Saints Hotel and golf course. Tracing the footsteps of those that fought in the battle, we were stepping back in time to October 1173, when King Henry II ruled England.

The Battle of Fornham was the result of a revolt against the King, stemming from various grievances. In England, disgruntled Barons were unsatisfied with Henry’s firm governance. Meanwhile in France, King Louis VII held concerns over Henry’s expanding authority and sought to put a stop to it. However, the key to the revolt lay within Henry’s own family, with his son and heir Henry the Young King. Henry the Young King begrudged his father, feeling ill treated. King Louis VII used this to his advantage, successfully rallying Henry the Young King, as well as his brothers, to turn against their father. This revolt gained the support of several leading figures, including Robert III Beaumont, the Earl of Leicester, who subsequently led a revolting fleet of mercenaries to land on the Suffolk coast.

During the walk, we learned how this mercenary army, of over 3000 men, took hold of Haughley Castle further south, before marching onwards towards Beaumont’s strong hold in the Midlands. We ventured down across the golf course, for which we had kindly been granted special permission to access by the hotel. Heading towards the snaking banks of the river, the reeds rustled gently in the breeze. It was the river that thwarted the progress of the advancing rebel army. While seeking a crossing point, between Fornham St Genevieve and Fornham All Saints, the revolt was met unexpectedly by de Lucy’s royalist army. De Lucy had much fewer men then the Earl of Leicester, however, amongst the royalist ranks were more then 300 knights. The rebels only had approximately 80 knights, meaning that despite having a much larger army, they were far less superior in skill and experience. De Lucy had also positioned the royalist army with a tactical advantage, flanking the higher ground. By catching the rebels off guard, the rebels were on the back foot, hemmed in against the marshy terrain of the river.

After retracing the battle in the grounds, we returned to the hotel for refreshments, before delving deeper into the background of the battle, its aftermath, and key figures including Petronella, the Earl of Leicester’s wife, who fought alongside him in the battle.

Today, a sword from the battle is on display in the hotel. The sword was discovered in 2017 when a pond in the grounds of the hotel was dredged.

You can find out more about the battle in a fantastic overview written by Dr Michael Walker,
A Hard And Grievous Battle: The Siege of Haughley Castle and The Battle of Fornham in 1173.

ISBN: 9781916838024

This event was lead by Dr Michael Walker, as part of The Brecks Outdoor Festival. Made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.