Badlesmere is a village and civil parish

Civil parish

In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...

 in the Swale

Swale

Swale is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. Its council is based in Sittingbourne. The borough is named after the narrow channel called The Swale, a channel that separates the mainland of Kent from the Isle of Sheppey, and which occupies the central part of the...

 district of Kent

Kent

Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, about five miles south of Faversham

Faversham

Faversham is a market town and civil parish in the Swale borough of Kent, England. The parish of Faversham grew up around an ancient sea port on Faversham Creek and was the birthplace of the explosives industry in England.-History:...

. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 111.
The church, dedicated to St Leonard, is described as 'interesting as a small, quite unremarkable church' which was not 'restored

Victorian restoration

Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...

' in the Victorian era.. Its interior is 13th century and 18th century. It has a complete set of Georgian box pew

Box pew

Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...

s.

The adjoining mediaeval castle was demolished long ago. It was once home to the great family of Badlesmere whose head, Bartholomew de Badlesmere

Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere

Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere , English nobleman, was the son and heir of Gunselm de Badlesmere , and fought in the English army both in France and Scotland during the later years of the reign of Edward I of England.-Life:In 1307 he became governor of Bristol Castle. Edward II...

, was one of the most powerful men in England during the reign of King Edward II.
The quiet village green (known as Badlesmere Lees) lies off the main road between Faversham & Ashford.

The parish has been linked for many years with that of Leaveland

Leaveland

Leaveland is a hamlet and civil parish 5 miles south of Faversham in Kent, England....

, whose mediaeval church, though very different from Badlesmere, has its own charm. Its crown-post roof and a handsome 16th century monument to a local family survived the Victorian restoration.