Layer Marney Tower, Essex
Multiple dates and times
Layer Marney Tower, CO5 9US
Description
The tallest Tudor gatehouse in the country, Layer Marney Tower was built in the 1520s by Lord Marney, friend to both Henry VII and Henry VIII.
The house is an incomplete Grade I red-brick Tudor Palace with Italianate influence, beautiful terracotta work and a fascinating church. Henry VIII definitely came to stay and it is suspected that Elizabeth I dropped by for a brief rest.
The range of buildings is about 300 feet long, with the tower stretching 80 feet high. Layer Marney Tower is the tallest Tudor gatehouse in the country. Although it has had many owners, it has always been a family home - each family rich enough to live there but not rich enough to change it.
The house has a lovely garden and close by, the church stands with the tombs of the Marney Family. The wooden Essex Barn predates the house.
There are two exhibitions in the tower, Crowns and Crests from Knights of the Garter 1953 -2003 and and Myra English's exquisite Dolls Houses.
The tour will be from one end of the building to the other, going behind the scenes into the private parts of the family home, as well as some of the larger rooms not open to the general visitor. The tour is mainly on the ground and first floor and is unique to Invitation to View visitors. Most dates are arranged on days when the place opens in an afternoon which allows you to return to as a normal visitor to the tower, gardens and church at no extra cost, until 5pm.
Tours include traybake with tea or coffee. Christmas tour in December includes mulled wine and mince pies.
Access: disabled access to ground floor and part of the first floor. There are gravel paths.
Tickets £22.00
What our visitors say:
- We had a wonderful visit to Layer Marney yesterday. The day went very well - including the weather! Sheila Charrington gave us an excellent guided tour which everyone was talking about on the way home.
- Although technically intruding into a private house we were made most welcome. They passed on their enthusiasm to us and all of a sudden it was 5 o’clock.
- Even though the weather was not good, everyone had a brilliant time!! Our guided tour was the best ever (and we have been around, ha!ha!) and everyone loved the house and tower.
Please see our cancellation policy below:
If you cancel more than two weeks before the tour is scheduled to take place, we will fully refund your ticket money excluding any phone booking fees. If it’s less than 14 days before a tour, for any reason, we regret that we cannot refund your ticket money unless we can resell your ticket(s). If we cancel at any time, we will fully refund your ticket money. Although we make every effort to avoid it, sometimes a tour has to be cancelled at short notice due to circumstances beyond our control. In this case, we cannot accept responsibility for, or refund, any consequential losses, such as money spent on travel or accommodation.
Location
Layer Marney Tower, CO5 9US