Rook over Forncett

“I shall remember Forncett for a long time: the roaring trees, the exultant rooks, the flowering graveyard.” – Philip Larkin who visited Forncett in 1982.

One of the defining sounds over St Peter’s church is the ‘Caw, Caw’ of the rooks whose home is Forncett. They’ve been part of Forncett for generations, witnessing joys and sorrows, trials and triumphs, births and deaths, comings and goings.

And a rook will be the star in a film being developed by Friends of St Peter’s to tell the rich story of Forncett. The ‘Forncett: Village of Stories’ film will feature a rook that will fly through space and time to tell the many stories that over the centuries have led to the wonderful community in which we now live – a Roman hoard, a famous poet, a French baron, people lost in WW1, connection to cities by railway.

The film is just one of many activities that Friends of St Peter’s is working on to restore St Peter’s and make it an active community centre for the future. Part of this is collecting poems about the Forncetts– why not write one and be part of our project? Your poem could be about the rook, about Forncett’s history, about what Forncett means to you – or whatever you fancy! Send your poem to: 

Our thanks go to the National Heritage Lottery Fund and those who play the lottery – without them we wouldn’t be able to secure St Peter’s future.