Free Entry
Exterior viewing from graveyard: Open during any reasonable daylight hours. Interior viewing: 10am to 4pm daily
Address:
The Walls, Mistley, Essex, CO11 1HB
Two porticoed classical towers, which stood at each end of a grandiose but highly unconventional Georgian church, designed by Robert Adam in 1776.
Read more about the history of the towers.
Before You Go
Opening Times: The graveyard is open during reasonable daylight hours and the tower exteriors can be viewed from it.
Keys for the towers are available for collection from The Mistley Thorn Hotel, High Street, Mistley CO11 1HE, 100m to the right of the site as you face it, between 10am - 4pm.
Parking: There is on-street parking near the towers.
Access: Please be aware that there are four steep, narrow steps up to the doors of each tower.
Facilties: There are no facilities at the towers but they are on the edge of the village of Mistley where there are shops, and places to eat and drink.
Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome in the graveyard but only assistance dogs are welcome inside the towers.
Drone flying: English Heritage does not permit drone flying from or over sites in our care, except by contractors or partners undertaking flights for a specific purpose, who satisfy stringent CAA criteria, have the correct insurances and permissions, and are operating under controlled conditions. Please see our drone filming guidelines for more details, or email our Filming team.
Plan a Great Day Out
Nearby Colchester is home to the remains of two religious foundations, St Boltoph’s Priory and St John’s Abbey Gate. The Iron Age defences of Lexden Earthworks and Bluebottle Grove are also in the town.
To see more of Robert Adam’s work visit Audley End House and Gardens, just over an hour away from Mistley Towers. Visitors can explore life above and below stairs, resident horses, pretty parterres and a ‘Capability’ Brown landscape.
Heritage Open Days
Rigby Ramble - History Tours
Manningtree Museum and Local History Group will be opening the towers and displaying information about the history of St Mary’s Church, the main body which was demolished in 1870, leaving just the towers preserved.
They are also using the towers as the start point for walking tours around the village focusing on the development of the church and Mistley Thorne by the Rigby family.
Saturday 7th September 2024 2pm to 5:30pm
Sunday 8th September 2024 2pm to 5:30pm
Short walks departs at 2:30pm, 3:30pm & 4:30pm both days
Longer walks (Rigby Ramble - 2 miles) 2:30pm & 4pm both days