Pictures of Mistley
in the county of Essex
About Mistley
The beautiful Stour valley is the land that inspired Constable, it is a place where everywhere you go there is a fresh delight, be it old windmill, ancient church or the simple pleasure of a leafy Essex lane. Mistley lies on the south bank of the River Stour not far from Manningtree, to which it is joined via a tree-lined walk along the river which is oddly called The Walls. All along the walk you have spectacular views of swans, part of a population who live and breed here.
The town is famous for Mistley Towers, a pair of church towers part of a church by Robert Adam that was left unfinished in the 1770's. It was part of an unsuccessful plan to turn Mistley into a spa. The plan was master-minded by Richard Rigby, an ambitious politician who made a fortune as paymaster-general of the forces. The stone swan fountain at the centre of the town is another survivor of Rigby's scheme. Of Mistley's prosperous brewing and malting era you can see restored Victorian malt-house and the quay. The town's attractive buildings include sweet weavers cottages, noted inns and handsome Georgian properties. The 'secret bunker' which drew so much attention was closed to the public in 2002.
Manningtree, is a delightful Georgian town which was once a busy port. It is England's smallest town and from here it is possible to walk through beautiful Constable countryside to Flatford Mill.
This is a great area for tourists for apart from the old market towns and villages there are river estuaries inhabited with a rich variety of wildlife and an interesting coastline to explore. Both Mistley and Manningtree make ideal destinations for a quiet weekend or a longer stay to explore countryside and coast.
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Planning a visit? Please see below for other recommended towns, attractions and recommended hotels nearby.
Distances and directions below are approximate. For true driving distances please visit the AA Route Planner
Recommended attractions near Mistley
| Flatford Mill | (2.7 miles, 4.3 km, direction W) | Pictures |
| Bridge Cottage | (2.7 miles, 4.3 km, direction W) | Pictures |
| Dedham Art and Craft Centre | (3.9 miles, 6.2 km, direction W) | Pictures |
| Jimmy's Farm | (5.5 miles, 8.9 km, direction N) | Pictures |
| Beth Chatto Gardens | (6.2 miles, 9.9 km, direction SW) | Pictures |
| High Woods Country Park | (7.8 miles, 12.6 km, direction W) | Pictures |
| Colchester Castle | (8.3 miles, 13.4 km, direction SW) | Pictures |
| Bourne Mill | (8.5 miles, 13.7 km, direction SW) | Pictures |
| St. Botolph's Priory | (8.9 miles, 14.3 km, direction SW) | Pictures |
| Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich | (9.1 miles, 14.6 km, direction N) | Pictures |
| Colchester Zoo | (9.3 miles, 14.9 km, direction SW) | Pictures |
| St. Osyth Priory | (9.9 miles, 15.9 km, direction S) | Pictures |
| Landguard Fort, Felixstowe | (10.4 miles, 16.7 km, direction E) | Pictures |
| The Naze Tower | (10.6 miles, 17.0 km, direction SE) | Pictures |
| New Walton Pier | (10.8 miles, 17.4 km, direction SE) | Pictures |
All attractions in MistleyAll attractions in EssexComplete A to Z of attractions in EnglandRecommended towns near Mistley
Manningtree, a Historic Market Town in the county of Essex (0.8 miles, 1.2 km)
The town shows fine examples of weavers cottages and walks through the town reveal fine Georgian facades behind which are Tudor and Elizabethan houses.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Flatford, in the county of Suffolk (3.0 miles, 4.9 km, direction W)
On arrival in Flatford there is little to prepare you for its overwhelming beauty, but you should not be surprised, for this after all is Constable Country, an area made famous by the great landscape painter and which features in so many of his pictures.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
East Bergholt, in the county of Suffolk (3.5 miles, 5.7 km, direction NW)
This enchanting village gained lasting fame as Constable's birth place. It also has a very unusual medieval bell cage.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Dedham, in the county of Essex (4.0 miles, 6.4 km, direction W)
There are two things that immediately strike you about this enchanting village, the first is the opulence of the beautiful 15th-century church, and the second is the fascinating view of the River Stour, which, like the church, has featured in Constable paintings.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Greenstead, in the county of Essex (7.5 miles, 12.1 km, direction SW)
Greenstead Church is said to be the oldest wooden building in the world. Well worth a visit..
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Harwich, in the county of Essex (7.9 miles, 12.6 km, direction E)
The great seafarers of centuries have left the shores of England, these include Raleigh, Drake, Frobisher and Admiral Lord Nelson, all of whom brought glory for England.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Dovercourt, in the county of Essex (7.9 miles, 12.8 km, direction E)
These days Dovercourt is part of Harwich, it operates as a coastal resort town with a pleasant sandy beach backed by a sea wall. The beach has been awarded the E.U. Blue Flag indicating its cleanliness and safety for families with children.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Ipswich, in the county of Suffolk (8.3 miles, 13.4 km, direction N)
This is a town that can trace its history back to the Stone-Age, it has been a successive settlement throughout the ages and has been populated by settlers from the Iron-Age,...
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Polstead, in the county of Suffolk (8.8 miles, 14.2 km, direction NW)
This delightful village has all the charm of a picture postcard. Almost overlooking the main village street and the village pond is the beautiful church dedicated to St. Mary which has the only medieval stone spire in Suffolk.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Colchester, a Historic Market Town in the county of Essex (8.9 miles, 14.3 km, direction SW)
Interestingly, this is England's oldest-recorded town. It has stood on the banks of the River Colne amid fine Essex countryside throughout some of history's most tempestuous times.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Nayland, in the county of Suffolk (9.0 miles, 14.4 km, direction W)
The heady beauty of Suffolk has been the inspiration of artist's for centuries and the village of Nayland, in the hear of Constable country is no exception.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Fingringhoe, in the county of Essex (9.0 miles, 14.5 km, direction SW)
Delightful Fingringhoe is home to one of the most outstanding Nature Reserves in the country. It was formed out of a disused gravel pit near the estuary of the beautiful River Colne and today it is the premier flagship of the Essex Wildlife Trust.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Brightlingsea, in the county of Essex (9.2 miles, 14.8 km, direction S)
A medieval port on the Colne estuary, Brightlingsea was once an associate member of the Cinque Ports. The history of the town goes back to Roman times and it's industry has always been linked to the sea.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
St Osyth, in the county of Essex (10.0 miles, 16.1 km, direction S)
The village is noted for its medieval Priory, a Grade I listed building which started life as a foundation for Augustinian Canons around 1127, it later became an abbey which was eventually dissolved in 1539.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
Walton on the Naze, in the county of Essex (10.4 miles, 16.8 km, direction SE)
This is a seaside resort that is a real treat for every member of the family. It is a traditional resort that simply caters for those whose wish is to have a jolly good time.
Info | Pictures | Hotels
All towns in EssexComplete A to Z of towns in EnglandNearby travel help
| Mistley Station | (0.2 miles, 0.4 km) |
| Manningtree Station | (1.8 miles, 2.8 km, direction W) |
| London Stansted Airport | (36.1 miles, 58.0 km, direction W) |
| M11 Junction 8 | (37.9 miles, 61.0 km, direction W) |
| M11 Junction 9 | (39.1 miles, 62.9 km, direction W) |
| Cambridge Airport | (42.6 miles, 68.5 km, direction NW) |
| Mistley to London | (59.9 miles, 96.4 km, direction SW) |
Hotels & Accommodation in Mistley
| Hotel Name | Approximate distance from Mistley center |
| Hotel Elizabeth Copdock | (5.9 miles, 9.5 km, direction N) |
| Ramada Colchester | (6.2 miles, 9.9 km, direction W) |
| Swallow Belstead Brook Hotel | (6.6 miles, 10.6 km, direction N) |
| Wivenhoe House Hotel | (7.4 miles, 12.0 km, direction SW) |
| Hintlesham Hall Hotel | (7.8 miles, 12.5 km, direction N) |
| Best Western The Rose & Crown Hotel | (7.8 miles, 12.6 km, direction SW) |
| Holiday Inn Ipswich Orwell | (8.0 miles, 12.8 km, direction NE) |
| Novotel Ipswich Centre | (8.2 miles, 13.2 km, direction N) |
| Salthouse Harbour Hotel | (8.3 miles, 13.3 km, direction N) |
| Golden Lion Hotel | (8.5 miles, 13.6 km, direction N) |
| All hotels in Mistley |
