Fonthill Castle grounds to be enhanced. Here's the conceptual plan

Damon C. Williams, Bucks County Courier Times
·3 min read
Rendition of renovation plan for pond at Fonthill Castle. The castle, built between 1908-1912, was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Plans call for renovation of the castle and surrounding lands.
Rendition of renovation plan for pond at Fonthill Castle. The castle, built between 1908-1912, was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Plans call for renovation of the castle and surrounding lands.
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Renditions of renovations to the 69-acre Fonthill Castle estate in Doylestown show an effort to maximize the public use of the land without disturbing the landmark's footprint.

The castle is the former residence of archeologist and Doylestown native Henry Chapman Mercer, and has become one of the resounding images in Bucks County often used in tourism ads and other promotions for its unique beauty and historic significance in the heart of the county.

The proposed renovations include landscape improvements, the creation of a new educational space that will occupy the storied "little house in the woods," and the expansion of the existing trail system.

The Bucks County Historical Society manages Fonthill Castle and released the conceptional plans earlier last week.

The historical society hired Philadelphia landscaping company Olin to create a plan in which land would be multifunctional and serve both as an educational venue and environmentally enhanced space.

Access to 'little house in the woods' at Fonthill

The little house in the woods is a curious, two-story building tucked behind Fonthill Castle.

Metal bars now cover its windows and patches of stone have been filled in with cement, and Mercer himself encased the roof in concrete. Mercer also inscribed a poem in the eaves using his iconic tiles: Who learns will love, and not destroy, the creature’s life, the flower’s joy.

The interior remained something of an unknown for the Historical Society until the summer of 2021, when an individual managed to squeeze through the iron bars on the second story. The incident prompted discussions about further sealing up the house.

According to Cory Amsler, the society's vice president of collections and interpretation, this provided an opportunity to go inside, clean up layers of trash, and study its history and structural integrity.

The conceptual plans include revitalizing the house as a "space for environmental and ecological education," but specific details were not released.

"The Bucks County Historical Society has been dedicated to stewarding Henry Mercer’s mission to create a space in harmony with its environment for the public to experience nature at Fonthill Castle,” said Bucks County Historical Society CEO Kyle McKoy. "Our conceptual plans to transform the grounds of this historic landmark will usher this mission into a new era."

Rendition of the renovated "Little House in the Woods" on the Fonthill Castle estate. The castle, built between 1908-1912, was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Plans call for renovation of the castle and surrounding lands.
Rendition of the renovated "Little House in the Woods" on the Fonthill Castle estate. The castle, built between 1908-1912, was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Plans call for renovation of the castle and surrounding lands.

Fonthill Castle received state grant for renovations

The Bucks County Historical Society received a $200,000 state grant in August 2022 that covered the costs of an accessibility survey and renditions.

"People have focused on the buildings for so long," McKoy said at the time, "and they’re incredible buildings. This grant is based on the ecology of the land.”

McKoy said that the seeds for this management plan were planted long ago by Mercer, a devoted lover of natural spaces.

"He always had nature in mind," she said of Mercer, who resided at Fonthill from 1912 until his death at 73 on March 9, 1930.

Rendition of renovated wetlands on the grounds of Fonthill Castle. The castle, built between 1908-1912, was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Plans call for renovation of the castle and surrounding lands.
Rendition of renovated wetlands on the grounds of Fonthill Castle. The castle, built between 1908-1912, was the home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Plans call for renovation of the castle and surrounding lands.

Legacy of Fonthill Castle:How the woods around Fonthill Castle could transform the Doylestown landmark

Henry Chapman Mercer and Fonthill Castle

Mercer, also a renown historian and ceramicist, left the estate to a trust upon his passing.

In 1990, the Bucks County Orphans court appointed the Trustees of the Bucks County Historical Society as the permanent Trustees of the Mercer Fonthill Museum, which now is open to tours and special events throughout the year.

More on Fonthill Castle:What's next for Fonthill Castle's 'Little House in the Woods'? Look inside for the first time in decades

Although greatly known for his innovation in tile, cement and ceramics, Mercer also had a fondness for Bucks County's natural beauty.

"What many people don't realize is that Henry Mercer cared deeply about the nature surrounding the building as well," Santarsiero said when announcing the grant, "which includes an extensive network of trails on the expansive Fonthill Castle property."

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Fonthill Castle in Doylestown, grounds to be improved