On discovering this long promised day trip was only open on Sunday and Wednesday, we decided on a late morning trip to Layer Marney Tower and Gardens just beyond Colchester. Expected a ‘tall tower’, got the ‘statement house’ befitting a VIP in the reign of Henry VIII, along with very fine landscaped gardens, a small farm holding, a good tea room and the lovely adjoining church of St Mary the Virgin.
England’s tallest Tudor Gatehouse, Layer Marney Tower stands within the Essex landscape, commanding views to the River Blackwater and beyond. Built in the reign of Henry VIII by Henry, Lord Marney, Layer Marney Tower is indeed a statement house, that shows its original owner was rich, powerful and a friend of the King.
The ornate terracotta decorations are of Italian design, the extravagant use of glass, diaper patterns in the brick work and its commanding height, add to its grandeur and importance; and the ninety nine steps to the gatehouse roof are easy to climb, which is a bit of a bonus!
The church as we see it today was built at the same time as the house, around 1523, and uses the same red-brick – possibly made locally. Though the majority of the church is early 16th century, it incorporates fragments of an earlier 14th century collegiate church. The main historic interest is the wall painting of St. Christopher and the Marney family tombs, ranging in date from 1360-1525.
You turn up expecting to see the tallest Tudor Gatehouse in England (which is impressive enough), but you don’t expect the additions, which makes a visit all the more rewarding. For once the information I read prior to going seriously undersold what was on offer!