The civil parish includes the villages of Cliffe Common, South Duffield, Lund, and Newhay.

The site of the former Selby Coalfield Whitemoor mine in the north of the parish is now a business park.

[3] The A63 Selby to Hull road and the Hull-Selby railway line pass roughly east–west through the parish; the A163 Market Weighton road, and the route of the former Selby-Market Weighton-Driffield railway line pass through the northern part of the parish.

[citation needed] Cliffe Voluntary Controlled Primary School received a grade 1 (outstanding) 2009 Ofsted inspection report.

[5] Archaeological evidence of humans living in the area dating back to the Iron Age or British Roman age has been found in the area between and around Cliffe and Cliffe Common; the evidence suggested rectangular enclosures thought to be part of a field system, as well as ditched enclosures, and roundhouses.

[6] Evidence of permanent human habitation in the medieval period has also been found, suggesting ridge and furrow farming.

[9] Non-conformist chapels were established in 1825 (Wesleyan, with Sunday school, closed 1968) and 1842 (Primitive Methodist, deregistered 1942).

In 1883 the hamlet of Newhay, which in medieval times had been on the south bank of the Ouse in the West Riding, was transferred from the parish of Drax.

[10] At South Duffield remains of previous activity included a former brick tower mill used for grain dating from c. 1800.