Badwell Ash

Badwell Ash is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, near Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket.

According to the 2001 census it had a population of 685, increasing to 770 at the 2011 Census.

Facilities in the village include a church, pub, fish and chip shop, and a Post Office/Village shop that is stocked with everyday items. There are daily bus services from the village to nearby towns and the main A14 trunk road is less than a 10-minute drive away. The primary school unfortunately was forced to close after a struggle of being placed under the category of Special Measures by Ofsted. Closure was suggested by Suffolk County Council in May 2013. The closure happened in December 2013.^[2]

There are several groups in the village providing activities for the whole age range (Silver Ash, Gun Club, Bowls Club, Art Club, and as of August 2007, a Youth Club run by Stacey Hawes and a Football club). Thus encompassing the wide-ranging Civil Society groups in the village.

There are five bells that hang at St Mary's with the largest weighing 13-2-9 cwt.^[3] The oldest bell was cast in 1630 by John Draper.^[4] In 2017 the clock and bells of the church were refurbished and now the bells ring every hour on the hour.

In 2006, in response to a questionnaire circulated round the village, a Community Forum was established which organised and ran a village fete - the first one for many years. In 2007 the Forum merged with an existing village hall committee, and has since run a second village fete.

Tourism to the village is encouraged due to the Badwell Ash Holiday Lodges.

• Percy Francis (1875-1964), cricketer