Cley next the Sea (/ˈkleɪ/, /ˈklaɪ/) is a village and civil parish on the River Glaven in the English county of Norfolk.

[4] Cley was once one of the busiest ports in England, where grain, malt, fish, spices, coal, cloth, barley and oats were exported or imported.

The windmill, a five-storey tower mill, was owned by the family of singer James Blunt for many decades[5] and operated as a bed and breakfast.

[9] During the Second World War, significant defences (including mortar pits, slit trenches and bunkers) were built in Cley to defend against a possible German invasion.

[11] The A149, between King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, runs through the centre of the village, causing congestion in the summer months due to the tight, narrow streets.

The church boasts several carved roundels, an elaborate Medieval font as well as a damaged set of royal arms from the reign of Queen Anne.

Winter visitors include brent goose, Eurasian wigeon, pintail and many species of wading birds.

Cley, like neighbouring Salthouse is ideally situated at the apex of the North Norfolk coast as a staging ground for passage migrants, vagrants and rarities of all kinds.

The North Norfolk Shoreline Management Plan introduced by the Environment Agency has proposed a number of strategies in the light of continual erosion and predicted rising sea levels caused by global warming: these include Advance the line, Hold the line, Managed retreat and Do nothing.

The village's national constituency is North Norfolk, which has been represented by the Liberal Democrat Steff Aquarone MP since 2024.