Deopham History

Pye Lane

Also spelt Pie Lane

Photo: G. Sankey, May 2026

Contents

Introduction

Pye Lane must be one of the few byeways in the village where the current name can be traced back in time.
Generally, Pye Lane is mentioned as a reference point for defining land adjacent to the lane.

Examples of Documented Occurrences of the name

The entries in the table below are just a few examples;
The following link will list all occurrences of Pye Lane on the Deopham History website:
https://deophamhistory.co.uk/?s=%22Pye+Lane%22

Year	Context	Link
1628	3 acres of copyhold land in Churchfield in Deopham between land of the Manor of Deopham, North, Thomas Amyas, gentleman, South, abutts Pye Lane, West.	https://deophamhistory.co.uk/court-of-the-manor-of-shadwells-otherwise-cockerells-october-1628/
1703	the way called Park Way from The Stolland to the Lane called The Pye Lane	https://deophamhistory.co.uk/court-of-the-manor-of-deopham-of-the-dean-chapter-of-canterbury-1703/
1708	one other Messuage or Tenement called the Pye and all other the Houses, yards, gardens, Hemplands, lands, pightles and pastures to the same belonging and next adjoining, conteyning by Estimacion two acres scituate, lying and being in Deepham aforesaid next the aforesaid lane called the Pye Lane on the part of the North and abutt upon the Aforesaid hill called the Pye Hill towards the West	https://deophamhistory.co.uk/marriage-settlement-of-sarah-amyas-to-john-callender/
1718	2 acres in a close called Small Close in Deopham, abutts Pye Lane, East.	https://deophamhistory.co.uk/court-of-the-manor-of-deopham-hall-october-1718/
1807	2½ acres between lands now or late of Robert Reynolds, North; Dean & Chapter of Canterbury, South, abutts Pye Lane, West	https://deophamhistory.co.uk/court-of-the-manor-of-deopham-hall-december-1807/

The Inclosures Documents

1812

The following extract from an 1812 map produced in the course of the Inclosures process for Church Farm shows Pye Lane as Magpie Lane:

1814

Whilst the above map from 1814 clearly identifies Public Road No. 4 as “Pie Lane”, the accompanying text refers to it as being previously known as “Magpie Lane”:-

… One other Road called the Attleburgh Road marked on the Map hereto annexed No 4 branching out of the Wymondham Road at the Cottage late belonging to Samuel Gilman, Gentleman, and now to John Dobbs, and proceeding in a South direction along the course of the present Road called Magpie Lane to Tun Green,
thence in a west direction by the House at the north end of the said Tun Green for the distance of about eighty yards, proceeding in a South direction nearly in the middle of the said Green to South Hill Common,
thence in nearly the same direction for the distance of about one hundred and ten yards, thence proceeding in a west direction to the South west corner of a Yard belonging to William Knott,
thence proceeding in a South direction to the north east corner of an Inclosure in Great Ellingham called the Ten Acres belonging to the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Walsingham, and
thence by the Fence of the same Inclosure to the bounds of the Parish of Attleburgh.

Post Office Lane

The following extract from a 1984 map shows that there was a time when Pye Lane was known as Post Office Lane, no doubt on account of the location of the Post Office.

Navigation

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Date	Change
20/7/26	1812 Magpie Lane
7/5/26	Post Office Lane
11/5/26	Inclosures extract
25/4/26	Published