Borley Church

A quiet, thoughtful place in a loud world.

Borley, Essex

Opening times

Saturday: April - October, 12noon to 4pm. For access at other times contact the Church Warden on 07980 300019.

Address

Borley Church
Hall Road
Borley
Essex
CO10 7AE

Borley’s delightful Grade I listed hill-top church stands approximately in the center of the small parish of Borley, with the hamlet of Borley Green to the west and the River Stour forming, not only its eastern boundary, but also the county boundary between Essex and Suffolk. The well kept graveyard is noted for its 15 topiarised yew trees. The ‘long-and-short’ quoins (corner-stones) in the south-west corner of the nave indicate Saxon origins and it is likely that the south wall (and maybe also the north) dates from this time, indicating that people have worshipped on this ‘high and holy’ spot for at least 900 years.

The interior of the church is dominated by the canopied Waldegrave monument, the ceiling of which features beautiful craftsmanship of the 1600s and retains much of its painted decoration. The church's High Altar is the original mensa (top-slab) of the mediaeval stone alter which had been dismantled by Law in the 1540s and was discovered buried in the floor of the nave in 1947, and was re-instated.

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Fascinating churchyard

  • Magnificent memorials

  • National heritage here

  • Accessible toilets in church

  • Car park at church

  • Dog friendly

  • Level access to the main areas

  • Parking within 250m

  • Ramp or level access available on request

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Communion Services at 11.15am on the first Sunday of the month.

  • Church of England

Contact information

Other nearby churches

Holy Trinity with St Catherine

Long Melford, Suffolk

Setting and position play a crucial part in the impact of the building and Long Melford's Holy Trinity is perhaps the finest example of this.

St Mary

Chilton, Suffolk

Memories of the High Sheriff of Suffolk.

St Mary

Cavendish, Suffolk

From the west and south, the combination of village green, cottages and church at Cavendish is perfect, and makes one of the loveliest and most famous English villages scenes.