Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Claia 1086 DB 1199 FF

• Clai 1170 P

• Clay 1178,1199 P 1253 Ch 1269 Ass

• Claye 1201 1263,1269 Cl 1269 Ass

• Claie 1202 FF 1205 P

• Claie 1204 P 1209 Ass 1220 Cur

• Cleya 1239 FF

• Claye 1239 FF 1253,1374 Cl 1257 Ass 1263 Ipm 1357,1409 Pat

• Claya 1243 Fees

• Cleye 1275 RH 1280to1376 Ipm 1286 Ass 1302,1346 FA 1310 Ch 1312 DeBanco 1320,1370 FF 1327to1392 Pat 1330 SR 1363 Fine 1380 Inq 1381 Cl

• Le Clay 1375 Pat

• Cleye iuxta Mare 1366to1474 FF

• Cleye iuxta Blakeneye 1375 FF

• Cleye by Blakene 1376 Ipm

Etymology

OE  clǣg 'clay' referring to the character of the soil. Great changes have affected the town. It does not lie where the medieval Cley had been.The latter lay by the river Glaven south of the church and was ruined by embanking (v. Pevsner 115). Ekwall (DEPN) gives the pronunciation as /klai/, Miller (BBC) alternatively as /klei/.