To get to this church, you must first find it ! No road goes within a mile of St Mary, and only by a sign to a track across the fields on the busy B1113 Needham Market to Stowmarket road (see additional Waypoint below) would you ever know it was there. The potholed unmade track is driveable with care, but a walk on a nice day is best. It winds lazily through gentle rises for a mile or so, and the noise of the modern world is soon lost behind you.
Eventually, a cluster of buildings appear in a lost valley; a large 16th century farm house and outbuildings, with the red brick church tower in front of it. Beyond, a hazy maze of trees and fields. No other building is in sight.
A grassed path leads to a little wooden porch, with a drop-gate to keep out animals. It is thought to be original, but there is nothing else like it in Suffolk. The door into the church has a metal grill set in it, and this all seems original too, 18th century at the latest. Through this grill, you can peep at remarkable things, if the church is not open.
The church fell out of use in the 1980s, and is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. It is usually open at weekends and more often in summer.
Badley church has one of the most haunting and evocative interiors of any church. It is essentially an untouched 18th century interior, with barely a sign of Victorian enthusiasm. The benches and box pews are bleached white by centuries of Suffolk air and sunlight, the tiled floor is original; in all a delightfully rustic setting.
The above image is from, and the text contains excerpts from Simon Knott's excellent website www.suffolkchurches.co.uk , with grateful thanks.
If anyone would like to expand this Church Micro numbered series please do. Please contact sadexploration via www.geocaching.com so that he can keep track of the church numbers and names to avoid duplication.