Manningtree Life Jan '24 Layout v6 - Flipbook - Page 28
MANNINGTREE LIFE
Mistley Towers
Located east of Manningtree, Mistley is renowned for the Mistley
Towers. Originally planned as part of a grand church by Richard Rigby,
a local politician aspiring to transform Mistley into a spa town, the
towers stand as the remnants, with the nave demolished in 1870.
These imposing towers still captivate on the road from Mistley to
Manningtree.
MISTLEY TOWERS
Mersea Island: beautiful scenery
and historic charm
Mersea is the UK’s most easterly inhabited
island and is based on both the Colne and
Blackwater estuaries. It is accessible from the
mainland via the ‘Strood’, a short stretch of
road that sometimes floods up to twice a day.
It has been a holiday destination since Roman
times and as it’s situated just under 20 miles
from Manningtree. With a it's shingle beach,
crabbing pier and quaint eateries it is well
worth a day trip.
GRAYSON PERRY’S
‘A HOUSE FOR ESSEX’
Wrabness: a small village full of surprises
Wrabness is situated six miles away from Manningtree.
Known for its beautiful beach and impressive beach huts,
it is now a hotspot for art and architecture buffs, who
travel from near and far to discover Grayson Perry’s
‘A House for Essex’.
The 52-acre riverbank site, once a 1920s mine depot,
was transformed into a nature reserve in the 90s by the
Wrabness Nature Reserve Charitable Trust and is now
operated by the Essex Wildlife Trust. Rich in wildlife,
including owls, yellowhammers, and various plant species,
the area also features a picturesque beach with beach
huts and chalets on stilts. At low tide, the estuary may be
muddy, but the beach is known for fossil hunting, offering
treasures like whale bones, shells, and shark and fish
teeth, according to the UK Fossils website.
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