Fonthill Abbey is the largest private house ever built in the U.K. Using what is arguably the first Gothic Revival design James Wyatt converted the existing Fonthill Abbey into a massive building.
First added was the tower which was just under 90 metres tall, the front doors were 10m tall and the frontage of the house was 91m in length. The ceiling of the great hall was precisely 100 feet above the floor of the cellar.
Running costs were £30,000 a year and it took 950 workers to build. The first tower collapsed and a second one of 68.58 metres was constructed and managed to stay up for over a decade.
The only guests who dined at Fonthill Abbey during the entire tenure of Beckford's occupation were Admiral Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton in 1800.
Beckford sold it in 1822 for a mere £330, a price reflected by the running costs of the building. Despite the sheer size, under Beckford a single servant managed the building - a Spanish hunchback.
The tower was originally believed to have collapsed under its own weight in 1825. Recent investigations have revealed the foundations were indeed sufficient and thus the real cause of the structural failure of the building is currently unknown. Most of the rest of Fonthill Abbey was demolished in 1858 although part of the north wing remains.
Companies
If your company has been involved with the Design/Build, Supply or Maintenance of this building please submit your details.
