Mistley Quay wall (also known as Thorn or Allen's Quay)

Mistley Quay wall of late-C18 origins, designed by the Duke of Bridgewater for the Hon. Richard Rigby, the Paymaster General, in 1777 and modified and repaired in the C20.

MATERIALS: brick and Portland stone.

PLAN: the C18 quay wall runs for approximately 212m aligned north-west to south-east following the contour of the south bank of the river Stour. At the south-east end, the historic quay wall follows a slight indent before abutting a C20 steel-revetment at grid reference TM1186931809. At the north-west end, the historic fabric meets with a C20 timber and steel revetment at TM1172331955.

EXTERIOR: the quay wall comprises red and gault brick, patched with C20 replacement bricks in places, between horizontal bands of roughly dressed Portland stone. Regularly spaced, vertical stone courses in the quay face mark the position of the former dock at the north-west end of the structure, and may mark mooring positions along its extent. A watergate pertaining to the quay of 1725 is said to be located towards the north-west end of the structure but this was not accessible for detailed inspection in 2013 and cannot be confirmed. At the south-east end of the quay wall, the horizontal stone bands are distorted, suggesting either that the surface of the quay was ramped in part, (for which there is no documentary evidence) or possibly, structural failure in the past, necessitating the construction of a C20 brick revetment against the face. Where evident, Portland stone blocks form the kerb of the quay, but the roadway above has a C20 concrete surface masking any earlier fabric which may survive.