Cley next the Sea
Encyclopedia
Cley next the Sea is a village
(population 376) on the River Glaven
in Norfolk, England, 4 miles north-west of Holt
and east of Blakeney
. The main A149
coast road runs through the centre of the village, causing congestion in the summer months due to the tight, narrow streets. It lies within the Norfolk Coast AONB
(Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
) and the North Norfolk Heritage Coast
. The medieval church of St Margarets
is the largest church in the Blakeney Haven
area. A ruined building on the marshes is known as Blakeney Chapel
; despite its name, it is in Cley parish, and probably never had a religious purpose.
. Some of the buildings that once lined the quay remain, notably the 18th-century windmill
. The windmill
was owned by the family of singer James Blunt
for many decades and operated as a bed and breakfast
. The mill was sold in 2006, but continues to operate as a bed and breakfast on a non-profit making basis. It was used as a backdrop of the 1949 film Conspirator, with Elizabeth Taylor
, and it features in a BBC1 continuity link. Cley Mill has often been depicted by local artists and was the subject of a painting by the 20th century English landscape artist, Rowland Hilder
. Cley Old Hall was used as a location in the 1982 film The Ploughman's Lunch
. In July 1997 the BBC filmed one of its balloon idents in the village, which ran from 1997 to 2002.
It is hard to imagine Cley as one of the busiest ports in England, where grain
, malt
, fish
, spice
s, coal
, cloth, barley
and oat
s were exported or imported. The many Flemish
gables in the town are a reminder of trade with the Low countries
.
A failed land reclamation scheme led to the silting up of the port, and Cley had to find another industry. In the late 19th century, it became a holiday resort.
bird reserve has been in the care of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust
since 1926, making it the oldest county Wildlife Trust reserve in Britain. Among resident breeding birds are Avocet
, Bearded Tit
, Bittern
, Marsh Harrier
and Spoonbill
. Winter visitors include Brent Geese
, Wigeon
, Pintail
and many species of wading birds. Cley, like neighbouring Salthouse
is ideally situated at the apex of the North Norfolk coast as a staging ground for passage migrants, vagrants and rareties of all kinds. The best time for these is August, but at almost any time of year the chances of meeting a rare bird on the famous East Bank are almost as great as that of encountering a well-known bird-watcher! A new eco-friendly visitor centre opened in 2007 containing a café, shop, viewing areas (including viewing from a camera on the reserve), exhibition area, interpretation and toilets. The view from the visitor centre across the Marsh to the sea is breathtaking.
Cley Marshes is the home of the Bird Information Service, publishers of Birding World
.
The shingle bank holds large numbers of Yellow Horned Poppy
.
) hit the North Norfolk
coast and the shingle ridge was mostly destroyed. The North Norfolk Shoreline Management Plan introduced by the Environment Agency
has proposed a number of strategies in the light of continual erosion and predicted rising sea levels caused by global warming
: these include Advance the line, Hold the line, Managed retreat and Do nothing. Even after extensive public consulation there is widespread local concern that the marshes, with their unique wildlife, will be irretrievably lost to the North Sea.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
(population 376) on the River Glaven
River Glaven
The River Glaven is 10½ miles long and flows through picturesque North Norfolk countryside. Rising from a tiny headwater in Bodham the river starts just 2 miles before Selbrigg Pond where three streams combine at the outfall...
in Norfolk, England, 4 miles north-west of Holt
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
and east of Blakeney
Blakeney, Norfolk
Blakeney is a coastal village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. Blakeney lies within the Norfolk Coast AONB and the North Norfolk Heritage Coast. The North Norfolk Coastal Path passes through the village...
. The main A149
A149 road
The A149 is a major route in Norfolk, linking Kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth. It runs via the coast rather than on a more direct route such as the A47. The eastern section runs through The Broads.-Kings Lynn to Wells next the Sea:...
coast road runs through the centre of the village, causing congestion in the summer months due to the tight, narrow streets. It lies within the Norfolk Coast AONB
Norfolk Coast AONB
The Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers over 450 km2 of coastal and agricultural land from the The Wash in the west through coastal marshes and cliffs to the sand dunes at Winterton in the east....
(Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
) and the North Norfolk Heritage Coast
Heritage Coast
A Heritage Coast is a strip of UK coastline designated by the Countryside Agency in England and the Countryside Council for Wales as having notable natural beauty or scientific significance.- Designated coastline :...
. The medieval church of St Margarets
St Margarets, Cley
St Margarets is the Anglican parish church of Cley next the Sea, Norfolk in the deanery of Holt and the Diocese of Norwich. It is the largest church in the Blakeney Haven area, with a nave to match, and dates from 1320–1340. Before the end of the 14th century, a large south porch was added. The...
is the largest church in the Blakeney Haven
Blakeney Haven
Blakeney Haven was a inlet on the north coast of Norfolk into which the River Glaven flowed. Sheltered behind Blakeney Point, it was a major shipping area in the Middle Ages, with important ports at Wiveton, Cley next the Sea and Blakeney. Cley and Wiveton silted up in the 17th century, but...
area. A ruined building on the marshes is known as Blakeney Chapel
Blakeney Chapel
Blakeney Chapel is a scheduled monument and Grade II listed building on the Norfolk coast. Despite its name, it is in the parish of Cley next the Sea, not the adjoining village of Blakeney, and was probably not a chapel. Only the foundations and a ruined wall remain, the ruins indicating that the...
; despite its name, it is in Cley parish, and probably never had a religious purpose.
History
Despite its name, Cley has not been "next the sea" since the 17th century, due to land reclamationLand reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
. Some of the buildings that once lined the quay remain, notably the 18th-century windmill
Cley Windmill
Cley Windmill is a grade II* listed tower mill at Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.- History :...
. The windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
was owned by the family of singer James Blunt
James Blunt
James Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
for many decades and operated as a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
. The mill was sold in 2006, but continues to operate as a bed and breakfast on a non-profit making basis. It was used as a backdrop of the 1949 film Conspirator, with Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
, and it features in a BBC1 continuity link. Cley Mill has often been depicted by local artists and was the subject of a painting by the 20th century English landscape artist, Rowland Hilder
Rowland Hilder
Rowland Frederick Hilder OBE was an English marine and landscape artist and book illustrator. He has been called 'the Turner of his generation', and according to the Dictionary of National Biography 'The description "Rowland Hilder country" evokes a landscape as distinctive and personal as...
. Cley Old Hall was used as a location in the 1982 film The Ploughman's Lunch
The Ploughman's Lunch
The Ploughman's Lunch is a 1983 film written by Ian McEwan and directed by Richard Eyre which featuring Jonathan Pryce, Tim Curry and Rosemary Harris.The film looks at the media world in Margaret Thatcher's Britain during the time of the Falklands War...
. In July 1997 the BBC filmed one of its balloon idents in the village, which ran from 1997 to 2002.
It is hard to imagine Cley as one of the busiest ports in England, where grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
, malt
Malt
Malt is germinated cereal grains that have been dried in a process known as "malting". The grains are made to germinate by soaking in water, and are then halted from germinating further by drying with hot air...
, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, spice
Spice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
s, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, cloth, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
and oat
Oat
The common oat is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name . While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed...
s were exported or imported. The many Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
gables in the town are a reminder of trade with the Low countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
.
A failed land reclamation scheme led to the silting up of the port, and Cley had to find another industry. In the late 19th century, it became a holiday resort.
Cley Marshes
The marshes around Cley are internationally important for their populations of rare breeding and visiting birds. Cley MarshesCley Marshes
Cley Marshes is a national nature reserve in Norfolk, England, adjacent to the village of Cley next the Sea.Cley Marshes was purchased by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust in 1926 to be held "in perpetuity as a bird breeding sanctuary". Cley is renowned as a birdwatching site, both for the resident...
bird reserve has been in the care of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Norfolk Wildlife Trust
The Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk, England, formerly known as the Norfolk Naturalists' Trust, is one of almost 50 wildlife trusts throughout the United Kingdom.Founded in 1926, it is the oldest of all the trusts....
since 1926, making it the oldest county Wildlife Trust reserve in Britain. Among resident breeding birds are Avocet
Avocet
The four species of Avocets are a genus, Recurvirostra, of waders in the same avian family as the stilts.Avocets have long legs and long, thin, upcurved bills which they sweep from side to side when feeding in the brackish or saline wetlands they prefer...
, Bearded Tit
Bearded Tit
The Bearded Reedling is a peculiar small passerine bird. It is also frequently known as the Bearded Tit due to some similarities to Long-tailed Tits, or Bearded Parrotbill since it was later placed with these after it was removed from the true tits in the family Paridae...
, Bittern
Bittern
Bitterns are a classification of birds in the heron family, Ardeidae, a family of wading birds. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family...
, Marsh Harrier
Marsh harrier
The marsh harriers are birds of prey of the harrier subfamily. They are medium-sized raptors and the largest and broadest-winged harriers. Most of them are associated with marshland and dense reedbeds...
and Spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbills are a group of large, long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, which also includes the Ibises.All have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side...
. Winter visitors include Brent Geese
Brent Goose
The Brant or Brent Goose, Branta bernicla, is a species of goose of the genus Branta. The Black Brant is an American subspecies. The specific descriptor bernicla is from the same source as "barnacle" in Barnacle Goose, which looks similar but is not a close relation.-Appearance:The Brant Goose is...
, Wigeon
Wigeon
The Eurasian Wigeon, also known as Widgeon or Eurasian Widgeon is one of three species of wigeon in the dabbling duck genus Anas. It is common and widespread within its range...
, Pintail
Northern Pintail
The Pintail or Northern Pintail is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator...
and many species of wading birds. Cley, like neighbouring Salthouse
Salthouse
Salthouse is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the salt marshes of North Norfolk. It is north of Holt, west of Sheringham and north of Norwich. The village is on the A149 coast road between King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth. The nearest railway station...
is ideally situated at the apex of the North Norfolk coast as a staging ground for passage migrants, vagrants and rareties of all kinds. The best time for these is August, but at almost any time of year the chances of meeting a rare bird on the famous East Bank are almost as great as that of encountering a well-known bird-watcher! A new eco-friendly visitor centre opened in 2007 containing a café, shop, viewing areas (including viewing from a camera on the reserve), exhibition area, interpretation and toilets. The view from the visitor centre across the Marsh to the sea is breathtaking.
Cley Marshes is the home of the Bird Information Service, publishers of Birding World
Birding World
Birding World is a monthly birding magazine published in the United Kingdom. It is the magazine of the Bird Information Service, based at Cley next the Sea, Norfolk....
.
The shingle bank holds large numbers of Yellow Horned Poppy
Glaucium flavum
Glaucium flavum is a summer flowering plant in the Papaveraceae family, which is native to Northern Africa, Macaronesia, temperate zones in Western Asia and the Caucasus, as well as Europe. Habitat: the plant grows on the seashore and is never found inland...
.
Sea defences
The salt and fresh water marshes used to be very well protected. However the cost of replenishing the shingle spit grew too much for the town to sustain. Once the repairing stopped, it became easier for waves to get through; in 1953 a large storm, (see North Sea flood of 1953North Sea flood of 1953
The 1953 North Sea flood was a major flood caused by a heavy storm, that occurred on the night of Saturday 31 January 1953 and morning of 1 February 1953. The floods struck the Netherlands, Belgium, England and Scotland.A combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm caused a...
) hit the North Norfolk
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
coast and the shingle ridge was mostly destroyed. The North Norfolk Shoreline Management Plan introduced by the Environment Agency
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
has proposed a number of strategies in the light of continual erosion and predicted rising sea levels caused by global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
: these include Advance the line, Hold the line, Managed retreat and Do nothing. Even after extensive public consulation there is widespread local concern that the marshes, with their unique wildlife, will be irretrievably lost to the North Sea.