Amenities within the village of Bardwell include a post office and two pubs (the Dun Cow and the Six Bells). As in many village communities volunteer groups manage Bardwell Playing Field, The Tithe Barn which is the village hall and the British Legion Hall all of which are used for social events.

An engineering company, a marketing company and two equine centres are based in Bardwell.

Bardwell has many old and interesting buildings including its medieval church. In the churchyard is the grave of Henry Addison V.C. Born in Bardwell in 1821 he joined the army and won the Victoria Cross for his heroic actions in the Indian Mutiny. He returned to Bardwell and died in 1887 aged 66 years.

Until the 20th century there were two working mills in Bardwell, a watermill and a windmill. The watermill has been converted into a house whilst the windmill which is a tower mill, built in 1829 is in the process of restoration to a working mill again.