Mistley Towers South East tower (EHER 34678)

The South East Mistley Tower. Two towers, comprising the remains of a parish church, built in 1735 by Robert Adam. Additions were made circa 1777, with a tower at each end of the original building, and porticos and columns at the front and rear. The body of the church was demolished circa 1870 leaving only the towers standing. Built from stuccoed brick with a lead dome, the towers are basically identical, with the exception of a door in the north west tower. Each is on a square plan of two stages surmounted by a circular turret, lead dome and weathervane. The towers were restored in the 1950s by architect Raymond Erith.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. Two towers, comprising the remains of a parish church, built in 1735 by Robert Adam. The second tower is detailed in EHER 34677 (TM 11593198) St. Mary's Church AD 1735 (Remains of) (NAT) <1> Mistley Towers are all that remains of the second parish church of Mistley, built in 1735 by Robert Adam. The body of this church was demolished about 1870 leaving the east and west towers as mausoleum, a purpose to which they were never put. Grade 1. <2> <3> Mistley Towers. Former tours of Mistley Thorn Church, a plain brick building of around 1735 which was enhanced by Robert Adam circa 1777 for Richard Rigby of Mistley Hall. Adam added a tower to each end of the original building and porticos with 2 pairs of Tuscan columns each to the front and rear. <4> Guardship listing 421. <5> Scheduled listing. <6> Additional reference. <7> Built from stuccoed brick with a lead dome, the towers are basically identical. The north west tower is of a square plan of two stages surmounted by a circular turret, lead dome and weathervane. The lower stage has a plinth, recessed arches to each face, a round head window with ornate tracery set into one face, and a plain vertically boarded door approached by steps set into the opposite face (position of former Nave). This door is not present in the southwest tower. There is a pair of Tuscan columns at each angle and an entablature with a roundel to each face. The second stage has a pair of pilasters to each angle, a circular window with glazing bars to three faces and a round headed window to the former Nave face. Each face is pedimented. The tower has a turret with a plinth, cornice and attached Ionic columns, and each face has alternate louvred and blocked rectangular windows beneath a lead dome with ribs and scallops, surmounted by a weather vane. <8> The south east tower is identical to the north west tower with the exception of a door to the first stage. <9> This was just one of only two churches designed by Robert Adam. Its design was a deviation from the usual plan of 18th century churches which typically comprised a rectangle with a western tower or portico (or both) and possibly an eastern chancel. Instead, the church with its east and west towers and semicircular porticoes to the north and south, was designed to be symmetrical along both the long and short axes. It is thought the design was influenced by that of Roman tombs. After the demolition of all but the towers in 1870, the columns from the porticoes were added to the sides which were formerly attached to the nave. The towers were restored in the 1950s by architect Raymond Erith. See source for further details. <10> Additional reference <11> <12> <13> <14> <15>