Battle of Fornham on the outskirts of Bury St Edmunds will be subject of study day at hotel next to the battle site.

History lovers can find out more about one of the biggest and bloodiest battles ever fought in East Anglia at a study day on Sunday October 15.

The Battle of Fornham was fought in 1173 when rebel forces clashed with the royalist army of King Henry II. At least 4,000 men are thought to have been killed,

The Battlefields Trust has organised a day of talks on the conflict – which took place 850 years ago this month – at All Saints Hotel, Fornham St Genevieve which stands right next to the battle site.

Expert historians will cover a range of topics around the battle, its background, and 12th century history.

Suffolk-based David Austin, the trust’s national director of operations, says that despite its scale the battle is little known with most local people unaware that it happened.

Two rare swords found on the site, one in the 19th century and one in 2017 in the All Saints Hotel golf course pond, will be on display at the event.

The battle ended badly for the rebels led by the Earl of Leicester. His fighters, who were mostly Flemish mercenaries, were trapped by the then much wider River Lark and slaughtered.

To book for the study day go online to buytickets.at/thebattlefieldstrust/968127