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Each level of the museum represents a different classification and the central atrium holds unique, large objects including a whale boat, stage coach and Conestoga wagon. The third structure is Mercer Museum, which houses Henry Mercer’s spectacular collection. The museum is overflowing with pre-Industrial tools and items from around America. There are more than 15,000 items on display with some even hanging from the ceiling. On a tour, you may see the brightly colored tiles depicting the life of Christopher Columbus or the maps of explorers from centuries ago.
Fonthill (house)
The museum is actually one of three poured-in-place concrete structures that Mercer built around Doylestown. While Fonthill Castle was built as his home, and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works was built for his workspace, the castle that became the Mercer Museum was built to showcase his collection of machinery. It is located on the outskirts of downtown Doylestown adjacent to the fantastic Michener Art Museum. Mercer’s distinctive tiles are handmade from clay using the skills he learned from a Pennsylvania-German master potter. Many tell stories from history and literature, and they are everywhere throughout the castle from stairs to fireplaces. The most distinguishing aspect of Fonthill is that it is made entirely of hand-poured, reinforced concrete.
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Here are a few useful things to know about the castle and visiting Fonthill. The often mentioned haunting of Fonthill’s woods adds a bit of paranormal flair to an already eccentric establishment, though Mercer no doubt would have found it gauche to have the former housekeeper terrorizing his evening guests. On a cruise up the Ruhr in early adulthood, Mercer was impressed by the eclipse of artisanal culture by industrial production, and resolved himself to preserving artifacts of preindustrial life. The Bucks County Historical Society operates the Mercer Museum, the Research Library, and Fonthill Castle, the former home of the museum's founder, archeologist Henry Chapman Mercer. A special anniversary edition of the newsletter was produced in 2012 (Vol. 26 No. 2).
Mercer Museum
Service animals are permitted at the Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle in accordance with ADA guidelines. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide is directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. Guests for the Mercer Museum will enter via the Helen Gemmill Plaza entrance, adjacent to the museum’s parking lot located on Scout Way, between Green Street and Pine Street. With a focus on residents, families and team members, Merrill Gardens offers quality senior living from a family-owned company that knows connection is everything.
thoughts on “Fonthill Castle in Doylestown: 8 Things to Know Before You Go”
The National Historic Landmark has 32 stairwells, 18 fireplaces and 21 chimneys. Due to its historic nature, Fonthill Castle has limited accessibility with steep stairs and narrow, uneven passages throughout the site. Westrum Development Company is a leading residential real estate developer in the mid-Atlantic region with senior living communities completed, under construction, or planned in every county in the Philadelphia metro area. Upon his death in 1930, Mercer left his concrete “Castle for the New World” in trust as a museum of decorative tiles and prints. He gave life rights to Fonthill Castle to his housekeeper and her husband, Laura and Frank Swain.
Tucked away in a Doylestown neighborhood, the 44-room Fonthill Castle is one of the most unique architectural works in Pennsylvania. Thanks to its construction and detailed interior, the enormous building is as much a curiosity today as when it was built over 110 years ago. Do you have questions about finding otherreal estate for saleor rentin Doylestown? You can browse all Doylestown rentals orcontact a Coldwell Banker agent to request more information.
I can’t recall ever seeing such an extensive collection, and it was quite interesting to see the similarities and differences in these advertising icons. This makes the museum a great place for children, though, I found the children’s audio description of the gallows to be a bit strange. For adults though, the museum’s great signage did seem to make the audio guide a bit unnecessary. In addition to the castle, two other buildings complete what is known as the Mercer Mile. Among the most popular Doylestown attractions, the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works and the Mercer Museum are well worth a visit.
Moravian Pottery and Tile Works
Merrill Gardens started with one community in Seattle, Washington in 1993 and now has locations across the country offering independent living, assisted living, personal care and memory care. Through innovative programs and a determined commitment to quality, Merrill Gardens is one of the most respected senior living providers in the country. Some of the museum’s most fascinating collections are in the upper levels. One such item is the only surviving Franklin Stove made from Benjamin Franklin’s original design. Make sure you don’t miss it among the dozens of stoves and stove plates that are collected around the museum’s attic.
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Fonthill is inspired by the grand manors and castles of Europe
During the holidays, there are daytime and evening tours, so you can appreciate the castle in different ways. We opted to take the last of the daytime tours, so there was still some light but we could fully appreciate the illuminated trees at the same time just before sunset. There is also a short video to watch that provides an overview about Mercer and the castle. Several displays showcase documents and photos of Fonthill’s construction, which are interesting if you want to know more details about the building.
This is quite evident even as you’re pulling up to the museum, as it’s housed in what appears to be a grand European castle. And, while it’s obviously not a European castle, the museum’s founder and designer, Henry Chapman Mercer, certainly intended it to resemble that. To say that the Mercer Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, is unlike any other historical society museum that I’ve visited is a bit of an understatement. In fact, the Mercer Museum might be unlike any museum I’ve ever visited, period.
Mercer personally designed plans for a museum to house his collection, six stories tall and cast of poured-in-place concrete. The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works is located on the same property as Fonthill Castle, and the Mercer Museum is located about a mile away. The well-traveled town of Doylestown is home to the impressive belt of historical attractions comprised of Fonthill Museum, Mercer Museum and The Tileworks; also known as The Mercer Mile.
Devastated, Mercer realized that he could not risk fire erasing his collected Americana before future generations could learn from them, and concrete was his answer. In addition to tools, it displays furnishings of early America, carriages, stove plates, a gallows, antique fire engines, a whaleboat, and the Lenape Stone. The Spruance Library, which houses the Bucks County Historical Society's archive of historical research materials, is located on its third floor. A window into Henry Mercer's unique architectural and artistic vision, this poured concrete estate is comprised of 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces and more than 200 windows.
While it might not be a typical museum filled with items that individually have historical significance, the museum’s collection as a whole is fascinating for representing the tools that built America. The 44-room concrete castle is decorated with Mercer's personal collection of ornate handmade tiles. Bookworms love the built-in bookcases throughout the castle, housing more than 6,000 books.
These three concrete structures celebrate the life, work and collections of Henry Chapman Mercer. Fonthill Castle is not recommended for those with limited mobility, issues with stairs, those who cannot stand for long periods of time, or those with concerns about small spaces/claustrophobia. Please notify us if your group includes individuals with accessibility needs.
Fonthill Castle was the home of the archaeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer. Built between 1908 and 1912, it is an early example of poured-in-place concrete and features 44 rooms, over 200 windows, 18 fireplaces, 10 bathrooms and one powder room. The interior was originally painted in pastel colors, but age and sunlight have all but eradicated any hint of the former hues. One room in the Terrace Pavilion (built on the site of the former home's barn), has a restored paint job so visitors can view the home's former glory.
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