Badwell Ash, or Little Ashfield, is one of several villages and hamlets in the area with an association to ash trees.

The name Badwell Ash means Bada’s stream near the field with Ash Trees.

Over the years fragments of Roman pottery and coins have been found.

It would appear that people have lived and worked the land in the area for hundreds if not thousands of years.

The Parish Pack produced by the Suffolk Record Office has the following information about population growth in the Parish:

1327     29 taxpayers paid £2.6.2,
1603     126 adults,
1662     33 households paid £4.11.0,
1674     42 households, 
1675     105 adults,
1801     348 inhabitants,
1831     490 inhabitants,
1851     478 inhabitants,
1871     520 inhabitants
1901     356 inhabitants,
1931     330 inhabitants,
1951     382 inhabitants,
1971     492 inhabitants,
1981     574 inhabitants
2001     685 inhabitants

White’s Directory of 1844 states that the Parish contains 458 souls and 1,860 acres of land.

Badwell Ash was under the Lordship of William Crekelote during the reign of Edward 1^st but circa 1354 passed, along with Great Ashfield, to the Prior and Monks of Ixworth. At the dissolution it passed to Richard Codington.

There were two manors; Badwell Ash and Shackerland. The two major houses in the village relate to these manors. Badwell Ash House is mediaeval but Shackerland Hall is more modern in appearance.

The only person of real historical importance associated with the area was Edward THURLOW, Baron Thurlow of Ashfield. He was one of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Lord High Chancellor of the Kingdom of Great Britain, one of the tellers of His Majesty's Exchequer, and a governor of the Charter House. 9 Dec 1731-12 Sep 1806