Old Clee

Old Clee is a village. odd to review a village? Well it is now swallowed up between Grimsby and Cleethorpes but still feels like a village. It was once tidal and reading will and inventories for here shows it was a prosperous place, full of yeoman farmers and fishermen, and in the 1600’s several had valuable bibles and could read.
The houses around the church are interesting. Dutch gable ends built by overseers of the Dutch community draining the lands. Also an amazing Turor stile manor with barley stick chimmneys.
Fletcher Christian (of The Bounty) is said to come from here.
It is lanes and quite amid the noise of the neighbouring areas.
I was part of an archeological dif here but no significant finds.
The main focal point is Old Clee Church. The 2^nd Oldest Building
in Grimsby. Holy Trinity and Saint Mary. The Saxon Tower dates back to c1050AD, and was designed to warn locals of Viking invasion.
It was once administered by Wellow Abbey in Grimsby and the Bishops Visitation reports at the time are really funny to read (NO history isn’t stuffy!) where the monk taking services whiines and complains of not liking leaving his monastary and the walk of about 2 miles was bad and he got hungry etc.
No shops or cafes etc but the church is usually open to look around and the architecture is worth a look too.
Look for the stone of the witches head on the tower. Sometimes I can see it and sometimes I can’t. I think she pops out.