Pictures of Mistley

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.

Other nearby recommended towns & villages..

Manningtree (19 Pictures)

a Historic Market Town in the county of Essex

(0.8 miles, 1.2 km of Mistley)

The town shows fine examples of weavers cottages and walks through the town reveal fine Georgian facades behind which are Tudor and Elizabethan houses...

Flatford (43 Pictures)

in the county of Suffolk

(3.0 miles, 4.9 km, direction W of Mistley)

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...

East Bergholt (11 Pictures)

in the county of Suffolk

(3.5 miles, 5.7 km, direction NW of Mistley)

This enchanting village gained lasting fame as Constable's birth place. It also has a very unusual medieval bell cage...

Dedham (34 Pictures)

in the county of Essex

(4.0 miles, 6.4 km, direction W of Mistley)

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...

Greenstead (1 Pictures)

in the county of Essex

(7.5 miles, 12.1 km, direction SW of Mistley)

Greenstead Church is said to be the oldest wooden building in the world. Well worth a visit....

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Nearby attractions..

Flatford Mill (52 Pictures)

(2.7 miles, 4.3 km, direction W)

Standing on the River Stour beneath the wonderful open Suffolk sky, Flatford Mill, one of the 18th century water-mills owned by.....

Dedham Art and Craft Centre (1 Pictures)

(3.9 miles, 6.2 km, direction W)

The Dedham Art & Craft Centre is situated in the heart of Constable Country, on the North Essex/Suffolk border. In this.....

Beth Chatto Gardens (22 Pictures)

(6.2 miles, 9.9 km, direction SW)

..

Colchester Castle (21 Pictures)

(8.3 miles, 13.4 km, direction SW)

Colchester is an ancient town situated on the site where a Roman city once stood. It is most famous for its massive Norman.....

St. Botolph's Priory (3 Pictures)

(8.9 miles, 14.3 km, direction SW)

..

Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich (2 Pictures)

(9.1 miles, 14.6 km, direction N)

This stunning red brick Elizabethan house was built in 1548 for a wealthy merchant with cultural leanings, therefore it is.....

Landguard Fort, Felixstowe (15 Pictures)

(10.4 miles, 16.7 km, direction E)

Landguard Fort lies off the southern end of Felixstowe. The first fort was built here by Henry VIII in the 1540's to guard the.....

All attractions in Mistley
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