Fonthill Abbey, (Wiltshire, England), 1796-1813, Gothic Revival

Fonthill Abbey was a large Gothic Revival home built in the country. The abbey was designed for William Beckford, and piqued the curiosities of the public. Beckford tragically lost his wife during childbirth. After this he traveled Europe ending up in England even though he had been exiled due to the accusation of adultery [4]. He then purchased the Fonthill Estate and after enclosing the grounds in a six-mile long wall (high enough to prevent hunters from chasing foxes and hares on his property), he then decided to have the Gothic Cathedral constructed as his home.Since the estate was closed to visitors under the ownership of Beckford, when it was placed on the market, it received over 600 visitors per day. The Architect designed by James Wyatt who was known to miss client meetings, and not supervise construction, inevitably delaying construction (sometimes by years). Beckford seemed to have no issue with Wyatts absences as it gave him more control of the grand project.This did not mean Wyatt had any less of a part in the project than Beckford. Wyatt was a master at combining volumes and architectural styles to create a faux historically layered construction. Beckford bribed over 500 workers from the Royal Apartment project at Windsor Castle to work on the Abbey by increasing Ale rations. He also seized all local wagons to transport building materials. In order to prevent the public from despising him, he provided free coal and blankets delivered to the poor in the cold.

Its most defining feature, the tower, was constructed three separate times; all ending in collapse. The first attempt took six years to construct and reached a height of 300 ft before its collapse. The second tower reached the same height before also collapsing. The third and final design of the tower used a different stone design and stood at 300 ft and lived on for the rest of the buildings construction and five years following its completion. Its interior was larger than life, couple that with its 145 ft tower and people were in awe. It was a large inspiration to romanticism era artists such as John Constable and Joseph Mallord William Turner. The building was constructed over a 20 year period. The building’s tower collapsed only three short years after it was sold to John Farquhar, which was only 2 years after the abbey’s “completion”. The building’s plan is derived from a crucifix geometry; with four wings and  a protruding structure on the southern wing of the building.        

Entering through the main 40 ft doors into the western wing, one is greeted with the Great Western Hall, a vast room with a grand staircase. Atop the staircase the visitor arrives at the center of the building, and can choose any of the other 3 wings to enter. Looking up there is an intricately patterned plaster ceiling in the tower. Directly ahead in the East wing is the Grand Dining hall, Crimson Drawing room, and the Grand Drawing room, as well as a Breakfast Parlour. To the left in the Northern Wing is the King Edwards Gallery and Sanctuary. To the right in the Southern Wing is St. Michaels Gallery, as well as where Beckford’s bedroom, and library among other rooms were located. Adjacent this wing outdoors is the Fountain Court and west Cloisters.

Bibliography:

Wilton-Ely, John. “The Genesis and Evolution of Fonthill Abbey.” Architectural History, vol. 23, 1980,
pp. 40–180.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Fonthill-Abbey

[4] Oliver, J. W. (1932), The Life of William Beckford, London: Oxford University Press – Humprhey
Milford, pp. 100 & 203.

www.fonthill.co.uk/fonthill-history
Clarke, Stephen. "Abbeys Real and Imagined: Northanger, Fonthill, and Aspects of the Gothic
Revival." Persuasions: Journal of the Jane Austen Society of North America, vol. 20, 1998,
pp. 93-105.