Located side by side on the south side of the Stour - at the point where the river starts to widen into a broad estuary - Manningtree and Mistley are small places with big histories, and so pleasingly easy to reach by train at that…

The train ride from London’s Liverpool Street Station to Manningtree takes a mere 60 minutes - enough time for a refreshing snooze, quick cup of coffee and a bit of time spent thinking about the next few days’ sojourn.

Before you know it you’ll be stepping down on to the platform and relishing that feeling of liberation you get when you’ve left the worries of work far behind and are about to spend some precious leisure time in a fresh and interesting place.

If the weather forecast’s good, you could bring your bike on the train with you, giving you the freedom to explore the area’s quiet roads, cycle paths and well surfaced tracks through the riverside pastureland, ancient woodland and picturesque villages of the Stour Valley

We’re aware that cycling isn’t everyone’s cup of tea though, in which case there’s a taxi rank within about 100 yards of Mannigtree Station, whilst walking into central Manningtree should take you no more than 15/20 minutes (or catch a train bound for Harwich International Port and hop off at Mistley on the way.)

For such small places, Manningtree and Mistley have big histories. You’ll probably hear Manningtree referred to as ‘England’s smallest town’ at some stage, although this isn’t officially the case unless you only count the area above the high tide mark.

Granted its Market Charter in 1238, Manningtree was a thriving Tudor port known as Manytre. Another town to have benefited from the wealth generated by the area’s medieval cloth trade, it offers eclectic architecture with fine examples of weavers’ cottages and handsome Georgian facades - some concealing earlier dwellings.

Manningtree High Street is a buzzing place to wander along, lined with many independently owned shops, pubs, restaurants, a popular deli and wine shop, cafés and a small supermarket. There’s also the town library, which houses the Manningtree and District Museum/Local History Group.

Those with an interest in Shakespeare might like to know that the reference made in Henry IV to Falstaff as ‘that roasted Manningtree ox with pudding in his belly’ apparently refers to the practice of roasting a whole ox at Manningtree’s medieval annual fair.

However, it was the notorious 17th century ‘Witchfinder General’ Matthew Hopkins who really put Manningtree on the map - providing a gruesome twist in the town’s history when he unleashed his terrifying witch hunts on the local community.

It is said that Hopkins’ was buried at Mistley Heath, although rumours have also circulated about the possibility of his remains lying beneath the 25 acres of land that make up Mistley Place Park Animal Rescue Centre.

With your exploration of Manningtree complete, you can embark on the picturesque walk along the estuary path to Mistley - where there’s often an ice cream van parked up in summer - following the scent of the Maltings as you get nearer.

In Elizabethan times Mistley had a thriving ship-building industry and it remains a working quay to this day. It is the sort of unassuming little village you might overlook when planning your itininerary, but there are a couple of excellent places to eat and historical landmarks to take in.

The Mistley Thorn Hotel and public house is an extremely stylish, noteworthy establishment and, as its website states, “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.” Owner Sherri Singleton also runs a cooking school, The Mistley Kitchen.

The building’s past is quite fascinating too. It was constructed in 1723 and stands on the site of an older pub in which the aforementioned Mathew Hopkins tried and condemned to death dozens of local women.

A major centre in the East Anglian malting trade during the 19th century, the maltings at Mistley continue to fill the air with their rich and distinctive aroma, although some of the maltings buildings have been converted into luxury apartments with estuary views.

Have a wander down by the river, soak up the activities of the quayside and you might like to pop into Mistley Quay Workshops to find out about collecting the key for the landmark Mistley Towers, an English Heritage site managed by the Mistley Thorn Residents’ Association.

These two porticoed classical towers stood at each end of a grandiose but highly unconventional Georgian church designed by eminent architect Robert Adam in 1776. For further details visit www.english-heritage.org.uk

From the mention of Adam unfurls another chapter in the history of Mistley. Adam was a friend of the flamboyant Paymaster General Richard Rigby, whose vision it was to turn Mistley into a fashionable spa. This project never came to fruition due to lack of funds, although the Swan Basin opposite The Thorn is a reminder of Rigby’s plans for the village.

A few ideas for your visit:

• Manningtree Railway Station has a rustic Station Buffet (a bit legendary in these parts) serving full English breakfasts, sandwiches, refreshments and other food - both to eat in or take away.

• Mistley has a bijou railway station, located around 800 yards from the centre of the village. This is on the Harwich Town to/from London Liverpool Street service.

• If you fancy breakfast with a view, make for the very good Mistley Quay Café on the first floor of the Mistley Quay Workshops, which boasts fantastic views of the estuary with its large population of swans. At low tide you can also see the remains of a sunken barge wreck. Breakfast is served from 10am until 11.30am, with homemade toast and preserves, local organic eggs and a brunch style menu. Also delicious lunches, irresistible cakes, a programme of supper evenings and a chance to shop for some unusual art and crafts.

• Children are bound enjoy a visit to the Mistley Place Park Animal Rescue Centre, situated in 25 acres of natural parkland. On your way around meet everything from rescued guinea pigs and goats to Vietnamese pot bellied pigs and ponies. There’s also a tea room and gift shop.

• Manningtree Tourist Information point is located in The Crown Hotel on the High Street - you can contact them on 01206 396333.

• If you’re intrigued by the story of the Witchfinder General you might enjoy the following:

Witchfinder General (1968)
This cult British film - of the same ilk as The Wicker Man - was directed by Michael Reeves and starred Vincent Price as Matthew Hopkins and Robert Russell as his associate John Stearne. It makes for interesting - if quite disturbing - viewing, with many atmospheric shots of the East Anglian countryside.

Witchfinders: A Seventeenth-Century English Tragedy (2005)
Penned by historian Malcolm Gaskill - a Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge - this book is described by The Guardian as ‘A must…a lucid companion piece to the classic horror movie Witchfinder General.’ It is a spellbinding study of how Hopkins and Stearne triggered the most brutal witch-hunt in English history.