| St Peter's Church | |
|---|---|
 St Peter's Church, Forncett St Peter's, Norfolk | |
  St Peter's Church Location within Norfolk | |
| 52°29′26″N 1°11′15″E / 52.49056°N 1.18750°E | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | www.forncett.info/forncett-churches/st-peter.html |
| History | |
| Founded | 11th Century |
| Dedication | St Peter and St Paul |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Official name | Church of St Peter, Forncett |
| Designated | 7 December 1959 |
| Reference no. | 1152619 |
| Administration | |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | Norwich |
| Parish | Upper Tas Valley All Saints |
| Clergy | |
| Priest in charge | Revd Lydia Avery |
St Peter's is one of seven churches in the parish of Upper Tas Valley All Saints in south Norfolk, ten miles south of Norwich, UK. The full name is St Peter's and St Paul's, commonly known as St Peter's, and this was formerly the parish church for Forncett St Peter. It is an active place of worship and a nationally significant Grade I listed building.[1] Its Anglo-Saxon round tower, built about 1000 AD, is considered one of the best in the country.[2][3] There are other Anglo-Saxon features. Much of the main building is of later, mainly 14th and 15th century, date. Significant features are: the 1485 Drake tomb, a unique ancient staircase in the tower, carved pew ends, fine ledger slabs in the chancel and nave, good examples of Victorian coloured glass windows, and the ring of six bells. There is a comprehensive modern guide to the church.[4] There is a connection with William Wordsworth: his sister, Dorothy, lived at the rectory from 1788 until 1794[5] with her uncle, the rector, William Cookson.[6]
The church is on the Heritage at Risk Register.[7] There is critical need for repair and a programme of renovation. A community group, The Friends of St Peter's, was set up in 2019 to lead a major fund-raising campaign.[8]
- ^ Historic England. "Church of St Peter, Forncett (Grade I) (1152619)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ Taylor, H. M. (1965). Anglo-Saxon Architecture, Volume 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 242.
- ^ Knott, S. "The Norfolk Churches". Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ Izat, R.; Webster, J. (2010). The Parish Church of Forncett St Peter. An Historical Guide. Forncett PCC.
- ^ "Wordsworths in Forncett". Forncett History. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ Mortlock, D. P.; Roberts, C. V. (2017). The Guide to Norfolk Churches. Cambridge: The Lutterworth Press. p. 105.
- ^ "Heritage at Risk Register". Historic England. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "Friends of St Peters, Forncett". Facebook page of Friends of St Peter's, Forncett. Retrieved 8 March 2021.