GENUKI: Norfolk: Cockley Cley, Norfolk

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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883

COCKLEY-CLEY, on the banks of a rivulet, 4 miles S.S.W. of Swaffham, is a scattered village and parish, in Swaffham union and county court district, King's Lynn bankruptcy district, South Greenhoe hundred and petty sessional division, Swaffham polling district of West Norfolk, Cranwich rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 217 inhabitants in 1881, living on 4312 acres, and has a rateable value of £2433. About 850 acres form a high sandy heath.

The Hall, a new mansion, situated in a well-wooded park, is the seat of Mrs. Buckworth, owner of most of the soil and lord of the manor, which was purchased of the Dashwood family. Sir H.G.P. Bedingfeld, Bart., has also an estate in the parish.

The CHURCH (All Saints), comprising nave, chancel, north and south aisles, porch, and short round tower, was thoroughly restored by the late T.R. Buckworth, Esq. It is fitted with neat open benches, and contains several monuments of the Dashwood and the Buckworth families. Near it was a small chapel, dedicated to St. Mary, and for many years occupied as the rectory house, but what remains of it is now a cottage. There was also another church (St. Peter) at the east end of the village, said to have been burnt down in the reign of Elizabeth.

The rectory of All Saints and the vicarage of St. Peter, valued in the King's Book at £8 17s. 1d., are consolidated, in the gift of the trustees of the late T.R. Buckworth, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. John Wm. Dolignon, B.A., who was appointed in 1879, and has a yearly rent-charge of £187, and a neat residence, erected in 1853.

The School, with teacher's residence attached, was built by the late T.R. Buckworth, Esq.

The honour of giving birth to Sir Cloudesley Shovel is claimed by this parish, but see Cockthorpe ( below).

In 1621 the Rev. Thomas Yorker left 10 acres of land in Oxburgh, and directed the rents to be applied for five years to the poor of Cockley-Cley, and every sixth year to the poor of Oxburgh. This parish has 11 acres of land in Swaffham, given by an unknown donor, and let for £16 16s. a year, of which one-sixth belongs to the church and five-sixths to the poor, who have also £3 a year out of New Close, left by John Bagge.

POST from Swaffham. Letters arrive at 7.30 a.m. PILLAR BOX cleared at 5.45 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m. Swaffham is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.

         Batchelder  Mrs Emily            schoolmistress
         Buckworth   Mrs Pleasance Grace  The Hall
         Denny       Isaac                vict. Cock Inn
         Catchpole   Wm.                  farm bailiff to H. Tallent
         Dolignon    Rev. John Wm., B.A.  Rectory
         Heyhoe      Robert               farmer, Red Lodge farm; h Swaffham
         Lincoln     George               farm bailiff to Mrs. Buckworth
         Pyke        Samuel               parish sexton (no clerk)
         Reynolds    Robert               blacksmith
         Stringfield James                shopkeeper
         Sutton      John                 farmer, Rowley farm
         Tallent     Hubert               farmer; h West Acre

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Norfolk: Cockley Cley

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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883