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Finished to Mercer’s exact specifications in 1912, Fonthill remains an ornate, architecturally unclassifiable mansion constructed entirely out of poured concrete. The house is featured (by name and description) in Lewis Shiner's 1990 novel Slam, although in the book it has been relocated to Galveston, Texas. Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult (18 years or older). Teenagers may visit without an adult but are not permitted to supervise children 12 and younger. You can bring a print-out of your ticket or a digital confirmation on your mobile phone as proof of purchase. You can bring a print-out of your ticket or your mobile phone confirmation as proof of purchase.
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SAH Archipedia tells the story of the United States through its buildings, landscapes, and cities. This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment. In fact, six floors of history await to be explored and discovered at the Mercer Museum, featuring 50,000 artifacts representing 60 early American trades.
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But the storage building was made of wood, in the year 1872, the Great Boston Fire destroyed much of the city, and all of Mercer’s armor. Mercer decided to build with concrete after the Great Boston Fire of 1872 destroyed his aunt's prized collection of medieval armor, which had been stored in wooden structures. In June 2011, construction was completed on a new, extensive visitors center at the front of the museum. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mercer collected pre-industrial hand tools and other implements of the past. He believed that the story of human progress and accomplishments was told by the tools and objects that people used and saw these time-honored crafts slowly disappearing from memory.
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Operating in the state of New York as GR Affinity, LLC in lieu of the legal name Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC. Please use and/or share my information with a Coldwell Banker agent to contact me about my real estate needs. Many of the rooms on the second floor of Fonthill Castle do not have air-conditioning, although they have fans. They tend to fluctuate in temperature more and may reflect the temperature of the outdoors more than typical climate-controlled areas.
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A 110-year-old home made of solid concrete presents an unusual visiting environment. Coupled with some low ceilings, a visit on an overcast day could mean a relatively low amount of light inside. Additionally, the first floor has air conditioning, but other spaces only have a fan, so it can get warm on a summer afternoon. Consider the overall conditions and what you’re comfortable with when planning a visit. A video in the visitor’s center explains how Mercer drew inspiration from castles along the Rhine River, and the tour gives even more detail.
The castle serves as an early example of reinforced concrete architecture and features forty-four rooms, over two hundred windows and eighteen fireplaces. Fonthill Castle’s interior features Mercer’s renowned, handcrafted ceramic tiles designed at the height of the Arts and Crafts movement. On the east side of town is the remarkable cluster of buildings that marks the impact of the Mercer family on their hometown. These include the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works (BU41), Henry Chapman Mercer's residence, as well as the house of his brother William, now the headquarters of the Bucks County Heritage Conservancy. His other focus was the restoration of the lost techniques of German craft tile.
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Interior
These tiles were made by Mercer at the nearby Moravian Tile Works, and represent some of America’s most sought-after tiles. Unfortunately, because of the small confines of these top two floors, it’s worth noting that there is no elevator access to these floors, and they are not able to accommodate those who can’t use stairs. On the first floor, I especially enjoyed looking at the variety of Cigar Store Indians that were on display.
Fonthill is inspired by the grand manors and castles of Europe
In accordance with Mercer’s Will, Mrs. Swain resided in the house and conducted occasional tours until her death in 1975. It’s worth noting, that the historic nature of the castle prevents there from being heating and air conditioning in the building. While they have large fans that run in the summer, it can be very cold during the wintertime. I visited on a cold day in February and had to wear my coat, hat, and gloves during my entire visit. While the museum’s atrium contains most of the items in the Mercer Museum’s collection, I found the sixth and seventh floors to be even more interesting. Here, narrow rooms twist and turn, almost like a dusty attic in an ancient castle.
All members and guests are encouraged to purchase online tickets prior to their visit. The museum features local and national traveling exhibits, as well as a core museum collection of over 17,000 pre-Industrial tools. DOYLESTOWN, PA — The beloved Mercer Museum Holiday Open House returns to the halls and narrow winding passageways of Henry Mercer's six-story concrete castle on Tuesday, Dec. 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. Moving up the floors, I spent a bit of time looking into each of the small rooms. Nearly every industry that used hand-powered tools was represented in the museum. No matter what industries interest you, you’re sure to find at least a handful of rooms that are quite fascinating.
Upon her death, the Trustees of the Mercer Fonthill Museum determined to operate Fonthill Castle as a historic house museum and contracted with the Bucks County Historical Society to provide professional care and management. 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 thus solidifying the commitment to professionalism at the site. Fonthill Museum remains a separate legal entity from the Historical Society. Fonthill Castle offers one-hour guided tours through a portion of Henry Mercer’s historic home. Coldwell Banker Realty and Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC share common ownership and because of this relationship the brokerage may receive a financial or other benefit. You are not required to use Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC as a condition of purchase or sale of any real estate.
Guests will delight in the sounds, scents and scenes of the holidays during an evening of free musical performances, family activities, and a visit with Santa, as well as the traditional burning of the greens. The very back corner of the museum also contains a small section of Native American artifacts that were used primarily by the Lanape (or Delaware) Indian Tribe. A tilemaker at heart, Mercer also built the The Tileworks, a factory built with the idea of early Spanish mission and monastery architecture in mind. Receive the latest articles, features, news, discounts, and more straight to your inbox. Both of our guides at Fonthill were knowledgeable and shared similar types of information about the castle and Mercer. However, guides have some latitude in what they focus on as they move through the property because there are so many different things to highlight.
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