St Peter’s Church, Forsbrook

A church closer to home

Before St Peter’s was built, Forsbrook belonged to the church parish of Dilhorne. A local subscription helped pay for a chapel of ease serving Forsbrook, Blythe Marsh and Blythe Bridge. Staffordshire Past Track names its designer as Mr Barr of London and its builder as Mr Goldstraw of Wetley Rocks. The cornerstone was laid on 7 June 1847. Consecration followed on 11 January 1849.

Music and the changing building

The church gained an organ chamber in 1883. It was rebuilt in 1908, and a north aisle followed in 1912. A photograph of the choir taken in 1918 offers another way to explore this period. Its catalogue entry names several people, including the choirmaster W. H. Sherratt. Family researchers can follow the individual names in the caption as well as studying the building.

St Peter’s, photographed in September 2017 by John Lord. Photograph details and licence.

At the church today

St Peter’s own website provides church information for both Forsbrook and Blythe Bridge. Search under both place names when tracing a relative. The memorial outside is recorded nationally as the Forsbrook and Blythe Bridge War Memorial.

Use the St Peter’s churchyard guide for burial enquiries and the parish cemetery guide for the separate burial ground. A memorial naming someone who died in war can stand a long way from their grave.