Kirkley

Kirkley is a place within the town of Lowestoft in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. Kirkley is located south of the centre of the town. Although today it forms part of the urban area of Lowestoft, it was originally a village.

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.

Kirkley is ranked as the most socially deprived area in Suffolk and in 2007 was the 173rd most deprived area in England (out of 32,486). It has the lowest life expectancy in Suffolk, at 73.96 years and has higher crime rates than almost all other areas within Waveney. Kirkley was part of the Waveney Sunrise Scheme and has received regeneration finance from the EU.

The local high school is East Point Academy (formed Kirkley Community High School and 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.