Borley Church

Borley Church stands overlooking Long Melford and Sudbury. Only parts of the nave of the 11th century Norman flint and rubble church remain, the chancel and north wall of the nave are 15th century as is the tower.

The most dominant feature of the church interior is the 14foot high tomb-chest Sir Edward Waldegrave and his wife Frances. The church and manor of Borley passed to Edward at the dissolution of the monastries in 1546 and was the first time it had been owned by a local family. Edward was knighted at the coronation of Queen Mary in 1553.

The Waldegrave family remained Roman Catholic throughout the reformation and consequently Sir Edward died in the Tower of London in 1561. It was some time before his body was returned to Borley where the tomb was built. Lady Frances enjoyed the Borley estate until she died aged eighty in 1599. The Waldegraves continued to practice Catholicism throughout the Stuart period and only joined the Church of England in the 18th century. The family lived in Borley until near the end of the 19th century.