Mistley Towers

Mistley Towers are the surviving ends of an unconventional Georgian church redesigned by Robert Adam around 1776. His patron, Richard Rigby, hoped to turn the riverside village into a fashionable spa, and the symmetrical church was intended to match that ambition. When its central body was demolished in 1870, the two towers were retained and their classical columns rearranged to complete the freestanding structures seen today. The surrounding churchyard helps explain the gap between them, while the nearby Stour provides the setting visitors often praise. Reviewers recommend this as an architectural stop rather than an extensive attraction, and suggest collecting the keys if you want to see inside. Keys are held at the Mistley Thorn Hotel, subject to the published collection hours. Four steep, narrow steps lead to each tower entrance. Dogs on leads may accompany visitors in the graveyard, but only assistance dogs can enter the towers.