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.
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. The area is described as a village with a population of around 433 by Suckling in 1846, with its main industry being fishing. The former parish church is dedicated to St Peter and St John Church. The church had fallen into disrepair by 1640, with restoration taking place at some point in the 18th Century. 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, 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.
