Fonthill Castle
Fonthill Castle
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Once the home of Henry Mercer (1856-1930,) this concrete castle boasts 44 rooms with interior walls, floors and ceilings adorned with a dazzling array of the artists original handcrafted tiles.
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- Brian MLaurel, Maryland138 contributionsVery interesting place, we’ll worth a visitWe were very pleasantly surprised, the castle was a great experience. Lisa led our tour and was perfect, knowledgeable and funny, full of unusual tidbits and ready to answer any questions. The tile work was extraordinary. The story of Mercer building the castle was important to appreciating the architecture. If in Doylestown, this is a must see….go to tile works next door if you canThank you for your kind review of Fonthill Castle! We are thrilled to hear that you were pleasantly surprised by your visit and that you had such a positive experience with your tour guide! We hope to welcome you back to the castle again soon!Written October 20, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 13, 2023
- Gavin RColumbus, Ohio4 contributionsSuper tour!We loved our 1-hour tour of this historic castle. The construction and tilework inside the house were intricate and unlike any place I had seen before. Our tour guide was courteous and knowledgeable. It was fun to learn the stories behind each room in the home. The building is very well maintained. I highly recommend visiting! Tip: the tour started right on schedule, so don’t be late!Thank you for your kind review of Fonthill Castle! We are thrilled to hear that you recommend our tours so highly and that you enjoyed your experience with your tour guide. We hope to welcome you back to our castles again soon!Written October 20, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 15, 2023
- JNC-CT-RISandy Hook, Connecticut211 contributionsIncredibleWhat an interesting building. Walking through it was a lot of fun and our tour guide was very informative. I bought the book and that gives the layout of each floor. Very interesting design. This castle was a great find for us to take a day trip to see. Well worth it!Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 20, 2024
- Thea O370 contributionsMercer's colorful contributions to the worldWe live visiting castle and learning the history of the structures. This castle is a unique as the man who commissioned it and filled with the evolution of his tile work & inspirations from all around the world. In addition there are thousand of original books and pieces of furniture that are original to the property and those who lived there. Our tour guide was passionate about the contributions of Mercer and seemed to thoroughly enjoy telling the story. It takes about an hour and it's interesting to see the array of rooms and their progressive decoration.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 25, 2024
- daniarwenDenver, Colorado418 contributionsVery unique.Interesting tour. Lots of information and very interesting man and castle. I thought an hour tour might be a bit much, but there's so much to learn that the time flew by. Definitely worth a visit.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 26, 2024
- Stacey R7 contributionsHighly recommended!I really enjoyed seeing Fonthill Castle. It is such a unique building and the tiles and overall design were fascinating. Jeff, our tour guide, did a wonderful job. He was very knowledgeable of the building and pointed out many interesting aspects during the tour.Visited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten March 27, 2024
- AlwaysPlanningCarrie363 contributionsWell paced tour with knowledgeable guideOur tour guide, Dotty, was incredibly informative and we really enjoyed our tour. It was our first time there and we didn't know what we were walking into. To really simplify it, imagine if Ikea opened a house to show off their products and had prospective buyers stay over to view the wares. Very cool to experience.Visited April 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten April 6, 2024
- Crusader77Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania37 contributionsWell worth a visit - MUCH better than anticipated!We live about 25 minutes away and have always wanted to visit but never got around to it. I’m so glad we finally did! Fonthill is such a unique place - equal parts weird, wonderful, mysterious and fascinating, it’s unlike any “home” you’ve ever been to (yes, it was the residence of one man, Henry Mercer). But the best part was our tour guide, Joe. He was incredibly knowledgeable and answered all of our questions with patience and good humor. JUST GO - you’ll be glad you did. NOTE: This is not a tour for people that have mobility issues as there are many stairs involved.Visited April 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten April 18, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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sandra
New Jersey66 contributions
Sep 2020
Very unexpected. The style and tiles used throughout the castle made for a very worthwhile visit. The castle followed COVID guidelines with guided tours with limited number of people. I had a 10:30 am slot and was the only one. Tour guide was informative and I was glad to get background on the person who built the castle- Henry Chapman Mercer.
Written September 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lucero65
Philadelphia, PA183 contributions
Aug 2021
The tour of Fonthilll Castle is fabulous. I could go again and again. This castle is like a playground for an adult. Mercer was very creative, and this building was his canvas. He created home for himself out of his imagination and for me it was like touring his playground. There are so many rooms in the structure, but you only see about 14 in the tour. The tour is just an hour and I think that's a positive. You get a taste of different types of rooms and one of the terraces in a short amount of time. It doesn't get boring or repetitive. The docent who led my tour was wonderful. She explained the rooms well, answered questions and also kept track of everyone in the group. This is definitely worth the time and money to visit. It is also very close (3 minute walk) to Moravian Tile Works which I visited afterwards.
Written September 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are happy you enjoyed your time exploring Fonthill Castle, and that you enjoyed your tour and tour guide during your visit. We hope to see you again at Mercer's "playground" soon!
Written December 2, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Cathy M
Cherry Hill, NJ194 contributions
Nov 2019
Not knowing what to expect from this tour I was pleasantly surprised. This castle is all concrete so it was getting rather chilly during our tour I can imagine how hot it might get in the summer. Even some of the furniture is concrete. There are so many gorgeous tiles throughout - one doesn't know where to look - the tile factory is also on the grounds but a separate or combination tour. So many rooms of all different shapes and sizes. During our tour the castle was decorated for the Christmas season and had Christmas trees in many of the rooms. They offer a night time tour during the holiday season and I can only imagine that that is enchanting. I would recommend this tour to everyone.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of your visit to Fonthill Castle. We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed your experience touring through Henry Mercer's historic home and learning about Mercer's life and legacy. We hope you visit us again soon!
Written March 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
traveltheworld012
Rochester, MN13,853 contributions
Nov 2022
In years past, we had been to the huge Mercer Museum, but I never knew about Henry Mercer's home or much about his life. We were in the area visiting my wife's parents for Thanksgiving 2022. We are from Minnesota. So having heard of this place from a friend we visited on November 25, 2022. Without advance planning, we just drove over to take the tour. Arriving at 10;30 AM we were told it was sold out for the day... but then, he discovered there were two openings at 11:15 AM... perfect! This gave us time to explore the acreage, walk the trails and make a brief visit to the nearby tile works also formerly owned by Mr. Mercer. We discovered that Henry Mercer was a world traveler, an environmentalist, an archeologist, a recycler (long before it was the thing to do). It turns out he was a visionary, collecting, saving and reusing things while they were still around and useful, rather than digging them up from the ground a century later. He also manufactured wonderfully beautiful tilework but also tiles that tell a story. He was a big believer in concrete for buildings: long lasting, fireproof, easily shaped for whatever form desired unlike other building materials. This castle embodies all of this and more. Our tour guide was Nate (or Nathan) who was very knowledgeable and answered all questions without getting annoyed. Nate was great! The tour was said to take about an hour, but it was really about 90 minutes, and it was very entertaining. You only get to see about 30% of the castle, as a full tour would take at least 3 hours. There is plenty to see and learn here, with many stairways and so many rooms. On your own it would be easy to get lost. I very highly recommend a visit here and be sure to explore the grounds and tileworks as well.
Written November 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of Fonthill Castle! We're so glad that we were able to find a tour for you to join and that you found your tour guide to be informative and interesting! There is so much to see and learn about at Fonthill Castle and the surrounding grounds, so we're very happy you had ample time to spend with us. We hope to welcome you back soon!
Written December 2, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
SteJ
Brick, NJ32 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
We were in the area for a The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa event. Amazing place if you get the chance. Also, in Doylestown. Anyway, Fonthill looked cool online. Almost Hogwarts like. We bought nonrefundable tickets with every intention of purchasing tickets to the Mercer Museum as well. Until we went on Facebook and saw how woke they were. I don't believe one group should be celebrated over others and the BLM stuff is just offensive. Also, they were offering free admission for that day but NEVER offering free admission on any other day. Why? So, we didn't bother.
Back to the castle. It was hot inside. Only the bottom floor had any AC. Our tour guide was a peach. The castle however is all about cement and tiles, cement and tiles, cement and tiles. Some tiles were detailed and together told a story. Other tiles were hard to figure out and without detail. After a while it got tedious.
Back to the castle. It was hot inside. Only the bottom floor had any AC. Our tour guide was a peach. The castle however is all about cement and tiles, cement and tiles, cement and tiles. Some tiles were detailed and together told a story. Other tiles were hard to figure out and without detail. After a while it got tedious.
Written July 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of Fonthill Castle. We are sorry that you did not enjoy your visit, but we are glad to hear that you enjoyed your experience with your tour guide
Written August 8, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
kpslas
Hackettstown, NJ242 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
I have visited many old homes and mansions and I can honestly say you will never see anything like Fonthill Castle anywhere else. From the meandering layout to the eclectic tile work EVERYWHERE, this is a one-of-a-kind spectacle to behold. The tours are scheduled for one hour but our tour guide did not rush us through but rather explained every room and told lots of interesting stories about the Henry Mercer. One gentleman in our group has been to Fonthill many times and says every time he discovers something new.
Written October 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of Fonthill Castle! We are happy to hear that you had a lovely time on your tour. The castle is truly one of a kind and full of hidden treasures; we hope you visit again soon to discover more!
Written November 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
dyandjf
Ambler, PA17 contributions
Feb 2020
A testament to the talents of Henry Chapman Mercer. The castle is filled with hand made tiles designed and made at the Mercer's Moravian Pottery and Tile Works which is within walking distance from the castle. If you are going make a visit to the Mercer Museum as well which has an intriguing look at America's pre-industrialized era. Art, architecture, design, tiles old and new tiles available to purchase, tools used prior to industrialization of America are just part of the adventure. Excellent tour guide for the hour tour of the castle. Will visit again!
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your review of Fonthill Castle. We are thrilled to hear that your enjoyed your tour of Fonthill Castle and that you would also recommend a visit to our other property, the Mercer Museum. Thanks again for your review and we hope to see you again soon!
Written March 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GatashMA
Boston, MA46 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
We visited all 3 Mercer buildings and this was the third. I'm glad we toured the museum and Moravian tile first. Those gave us an idea of Mercer's business and social interests. The castle embodied Mr. Mercer's personality. Pauline was our guide and she was knowledgeable and answered all our questions. She also had the tour very well timed as other groups were right behind us, yet we never overlapped. Although the castle is built of concrete, it seemed cozy and personal inside the rooms. Everywhere are stories told in tile design in the ceilings and walls. I think we'll have to return when the gardens are in bloom.
Written December 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review of Fonthill Castle! We are glad to hear that you had an enjoyable time visiting all of Henry Mercer's sites! We are thrilled that you found your tour guide to be knowledgeable and that you plan on returning soon! We hope to welcome you back in the spring!
Written December 30, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Linda P
Ballston Spa, NY409 contributions
Mar 2023
Henry Mercer was one dedicated man who loved concrete. Tour Mercer Museum first, a mile away, then come here. Amazingly beautiful home and architectural masterpiece that still gives me the creeps. The tile and mosaic work are astounding and everywhere- ceilings ,walls, windowsills, bathrooms, floors!! The floor plan of this house would confuse a lab rat as you twist, climb, and pop out in the 14 rooms of the tour, the other 30 rooms not available due to time or danger. The upper turrets would require climbing small winding steps even our guide did not want to repeat. Built by ten men and a horse from plans hand drawn on paper bits, nothing is consistent in size. Sometimes like a playhouse, sometimes a soaring library, all quite beautiful and singular. Tile factory behind house which can also be toured and some walking paths available on grounds
Written March 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review! We are happy that you found us and got to experience both of our extraordinary sites and that you found your trip to be interesting and fascinating. We hope to see you again at the castles soon!
Written April 4, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
pdhiggins7
Walker Valley, NY142 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
We spent an enjoyable hour walking through the castle with our knowledgeable guide. To say this is a unique place would be an understatement! You not only get a glimpse at this impressive structure and the collection within its walls, but you also get a glimpse into who Henry Chapman Mercer was as well. We were captivated by the place - around every corner was something new and special. Mercer was definitely an eccentric man, and walking through his masterpiece was an absolute pleasure! Our guide was very knowledgeable and had answers to our every question! Go, you won’t be disappointed!
Written June 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review! We are glad that you had an enjoyable time on your tour and found your tour guide to be knowledgeable and helpful! We hope to see you visit again soon!
Written December 16, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mary W
Orefield, PA
is this acceptable for handicapped person? walker bound
pdhiggins7
Walker Valley, NY142 contributions
No, I don't think it would be. There are stairways you have to go up and down as well as narrow passages. Sorry!
Denise D
Mount Joy, PA
Is this open this saturday. Can we do a day trip tour then? How much does it cost?
All of our up-to-date daily schedules and ticket information are available on our website.
unseasoned_traveler0
New York391 contributions
Hi are there many steps in the castle. And are the steps challenging meaning uneven or narrow or winding?
devilish_patsy
Plantation, FL218 contributions
Yes, winding and uneven. If there are ambulatory issues i would not attempt.
nala8391
Toms River, NJ2 contributions
Is it wheel chair acessible
Thank you for your question. Fonthill Castle has limited accessibility, however, a ground floor tour may be arranged. Please notify us when you make your reservation if your group includes individuals with special needs.
We hope to see you at Fonthill Castle soon!
Smiles1220
Sewell, NJ7 contributions
Is this attraction dog friendly?
Thank you for your question on Fonthill Castle. We allow service dogs in our museums with proper identification.
I hope this helps and we look forward to welcoming you soon!
Bindi N
11 contributions
I would like to visit the castle, museum and pottery factory, how long would I need and also how long are the tours for the castle and the museum?
Thank you
Leesa S
Doylestown, PA17 contributions
The Fonthill Castle tour is 1 hour and reservations are required. Plan to arrive about 10 minutes early to check in and pay for your tour. The Moravian pottery and Tike Works is on the same grounds as Fonthill and they do their tours on the hour and half hour. They run about 45 minutes. The Mercer Museum is located a mile away from Fonthill castle and is a self-guided museum. I would allow about an hour and a half to two hours to see that museum. There is a combination ticket for Fonthill castle and the Mercer Museum which is $24 per person for both museums.
Danielle D
3 contributions
What is the tour price?
gil101
Harpers Ferry, WV330 contributions
$14 for adults and $24 for combo with factory...check web site for children and adult prices and combo...allow 4-6 hours to see both.
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