The Mistley Thorn offers high quality food in a casual environment with an emphasis on freshness and locally sourced produce. The menu has an emphasis on fresh seafood.
The Mistley Thorn Hotel and public house was completely refurbished in early 2004 and re-opened for food and drink trade in March and for accommodation in June. Owner, Sherri Singleton, has a long established reputation as a chef and proprietor of the Mistley Kitchen cookery school.
The Mistley Thorn offers high quality food in a casual environment with an emphasis on freshness and locally sourced produce. The menu also has an emphasis on fresh seafood. It is the first eating establishment in Essex to be awarded the Michelin Guide's prestigious Bib Gourmand which identifies restaurants that provide good food at moderate prices.
The Mistley Thorn is the first completely non-smoking pub in Essex. The accommodation consists of five large and well-appointed rooms, some with panoramic views down the Stour Estuary. The Mistley Thorn is located in the centre of the historic village of Mistley and is minutes walk from Mistley station, which has direct services to Colchester, Harwich and London Liverpool Street.
Mistley is famous for being the scene of a planned 18th Century salt-water spa development by Paymaster General Richard Rigby who enlisted Robert Adam for some of the designs. All that remains of the scheme are the Adam designed twin Mistley Towers of Mistley Church and the Swan Basin located opposite The Thorn.
The Mistley Thorn predates these monuments having been built in 1723. It stands on the site of an older pub in which Matthew Hopkins, the notorious Witchfinder General, tried and condemned to death dozens of local women during the English Civil War.