Fornham St Genevieve, Suffolk

Fornham St Genevieve, Suffolk

Sheridans

Fornham St Genevieve is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district, located around 500m north of Fornham St Martin and a mile and half north of Bury St Edmunds.

In 2005 its population was 110. Its parish council is shared with neighbouring Fornham St Martin, and is known as Fornham St Martin cum St Genevieve Parish Council.

The village name is derived from the Old English for 'Trout Homestead' for Fornham with the addition of the dedication to Saint Genevieve.

The Domesday Book records that the population of Fornham St Genevieve in 1086 was 30 households.

Fornham St Genevieve was formed from the Fornham Hall estate (designed by Capability Brown) of which only the ruinous west tower of St Genevieve's church remains; the rest was accidentally burnt down on 24th June 1782, reputedly owing to the negligence of a man shooting magpies. The tower is a grade II* listed structure.

Mercedes

Mercedes

The history of Fornham Park involved the scene of the Battle of Fornham in 1173 where over 3,000 Flemish mercenaries were slaughtered. Robert Whitehand Earl of Leicester put up his final stand against the forces of Henry II near the church.

Mercedes

Mercedes