Kirkley

Kirkley is a district within the town of Lowestoft in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located south of the centre of Lowestoft and the town's Bascule Bridge and north of Pakefield and Kessingland. Kirkley was originally an independent village and still retains its old fashioned village feel by the seaside but after centuries of urban sprawl and development of the harbour area, is now part of the urban conurbation of Lowestoft. There is a long esplanade where you can walk along the seaside with its various cafes, bars and hotels. The beach is sandy and wide with a pier, fish and chips and seaside beach huts. During the winter dogs are allowed on the beach but during Summer the beach does not allow dogs. In council ward terms, it sits between the wards of Harbour and Pakefield.

This article is about the area of Lowestoft. For the historic mansion in Northumberland, see Kirkley Hall. For the village in Northumberland, see Kirkley, Northumberland.

Kirkley

Church of St Peter and St John
Kirkley
Location within Suffolk
Population7,439 (2011)[1]
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLOWESTOFT
Postcode districtNR33
Dialling code01502
PoliceSuffolk
FireSuffolk
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament

History

Kirkley was briefly mentioned in the Domesday Book at which time it formed part of King William's estates and was held by Roger Bigot.[2] The area is described as a village with a population of around 433 by Suckling in 1846, with its main industry being fishing.[2]

The former parish church is dedicated to St Peter and St John Church.[3] The church had fallen into disrepair by 1640, with restoration taking place at some point in the 18th Century.[2][4]

In 1847, from his base at Somerleyton Hall, entrepreneur Samuel Morton Peto brought the railway to Lowestoft. A new resort was built by Peto in the then rural parish of Kirkley and along the south beach. Peto sponsored construction of St John's church on the corner of Belvedere Road for the inhabitants of the new town. This was damaged by flooding and finally demolished in 1977.

Peto's legacy can be seen throughout Kirkley, including Wellington Terrace and Gardens (where there is a commemorative plaque to him), period seafront houses and Kensington Gardens. Kirkley is also the site of Britten House, a large Victorian house in Kirkley Cliff Road where the composer Benjamin Britten was born in 1913.

Redevelopment

Kirkley village has an eclectic mix of boho boutique and independent shops and cafes. Kirkley has improved much over the past 12 years with an influx of new residents who are renovating the large Victorian homes. These had been previously turned into flats for council tenants but a conservation order in the area has now stopped degradation of the properties and there has been a formation of residents associations by householders who are intent on improving the reputation of the area. Prices of homes hit rock bottom in 2007 however the area is now fast becoming popular due to Character homes within easy reach of the large sandy beach and village atmosphere. In 2019 Kirkley hosted the ‘sunrise first light festival’ on the beach. Kirkley was part of the Waveney Sunrise Scheme and has received regeneration finance from the EU.[5]

Culture and community

The local high school is East Point Academy (formed by combining Kirkley Community High School and Year 7 & 8 from Kirkley Middle School) which teaches students from ages 11–16.

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), a large fisheries research centre, which is a part of Defra, is located in the Kirkley area.[6][7]

Kirkley has a Non-League football club Kirkley and Pakefield Football Club who play at Walmer Road.[8]

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "Lowestoft Ward population 2011". Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  2. Suckling. A. (1846) 'Kirkley', The history and antiquities of the County of Suffolk: volume 1 pp.260-269 (available online). Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  3. The Suffolk Churches Site. Retrieved 2009-11-13
  4. Page.A (1844) 'Kirkley Parish', Topographical and genealogical, The County of Suffolk (available online). Retrieved 2011-04-18.
  5. Funding Streams to Support 1st East’s Regeneration, 2008-11. Retrieved 2009-11-13.
  6. Inter-Agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology Contact Information: CEFAS Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
  7. Godfrey Maps (2001) NE Suffolk 1907 (reprint of 1907 Ordnance Survey map)
  8. Suffolk FA List of football clubs in Suffolk Archived 10 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2009-11-14.

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