Castle on the hill

Today, my parents visited and we went on a guided tour inside the Fonthill Castle where Henry Chapman Mercer once resided: he was an archeologist and tile maker.

I’ve never actually been INSIDE the castle! It was incredible with 40-something rooms and we only saw about 15 or so.

Mercer read over 6,000 books and had them scattered all over his home.

He had a housekeeper named Laura who lived there full-time. After passing away in the 1930s, she stayed there well into the 70s when she passed. This is her room:

This is the Columbus room. Many rooms had 3D designs that told stories, both historical events and fiction.

He loved dogs, and had his favorite dog’s paw print engraved.

He collected many priceless artifacts. In this room he has ancient Roman spears.

Here is a Babylonian artifact with the world’s first recorded language, from 2100 B.C.

I love this type writer!

It was so amazing to finally be able to see inside the castle! Also grateful that we were able to take pictures. I wish every building was a castle, regular buildings feel so boring and ugly now! 😜