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St Mary's - a redundant church

Forncett is a straggling village that spreads out over several kilometres and consists of Forncett St Mary, Forncett St Peter and Forncett End. Of the two churches in Forncett, St Mary's > Link - Link - Link used to be the more important one up until 1496. The church stands on a slight rise above the normal flood plain of the River Tas and is an important waypoint for walkers on the Tas Valley Way which follows an ancient track along the right bank of the river. Because of declining attendances the church was closed in 1981 and has since been neglected and vandalised and the surrounding churchyard overgrown. Attempts have been made in recent years to clear the area and make the churchyard once again accessible. The current plan is to establish a private trust - the Friends of Forncett St Mary Church - to restore and once again put to good use this ancient building whose claim to fame was John William Colenso, fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, who was rector here from 1846-1853 and then went on to Natal, where his radical views gained him much notoriety. The church contains no furnishings > Link and is presently kept locked.