page_title: Fonthill Splendens
section_title: William Beckford’s period of ownership
hierarchical_section_title: Fonthill Splendens / William Beckford’s period of ownership
caption_attribution_description: English: Fonthill - North gateway to estate
context_page_description: Fonthill Splendens was a country mansion in Wiltshire, built by Alderman William Beckford; building began in 1755 and was largely complete by 1770. The construction followed the destruction by fire of the previous Fonthill House. The new mansion had a life of only fifty years, being demolished in 1807.
  Beckford is usually referred to as Alderman Beckford to distinguish him from his more well-known son, William Beckford of Fonthill Abbey. Fonthill Splendens was a major country house of its time, but knowledge of it has largely been eclipsed by the story of Beckford’s Gothic edifice, Fonthill Abbey.
  As with the earlier building, the mansion was in its time just known as Fonthill House. The name Fonthill Splendens may have been used colloquially but only appeared in print in 1829, some twenty years after the house was demolished.
context_section_description: Alderman Beckford died in 1770, thereafter the house was the property of his son William Beckford, then aged ten. He lived in the house for some thirty years before moving to his Fonthill Abbey in 1801. 
  He was brought up in the house, and while he travelled extensively to Europe from 1777 on and had various London townhouses, he nevertheless continued to carry out alterations and improvements. In particular, he restyled the interior in the neoclassical taste, even into the 1790s while he was planning and building the Abbey. His architect for Fonthill Abbey, James Wyatt, was involved in much of the re-design. Also, in 1787 Sir John Soane prepared drawings for a Picture Gallery on the bedchamber floor, but the design seems not to have been carried out.
  
  Beckford ordered the demolition of the mansion in 1807, this despite being urged not to by his architect, Wyatt, and his son-in-law, Alexander Marquess of Douglas (later the 10ᵗʰ Duke of Hamilton).  Writing to the Marquess, he described the house as  
  ". . . the old palace of tertian fevers with all its false Greek and false Egyptian, its small doors and mean casements . . ."  and  " No, my dear Douglas, I cannot honestly regret this mass of very ordinary taste . . ."
  He first ordered the demolition of the east pavilion in 1801 to obtain stone for the Abbey.  Then the main central block was sold and demolished in 1807. Only the remaining west pavilion was saved, this being converted into guest accommodation. Some contents were removed to the Abbey, sales of the remainder were held in 1801 with a final sale in 1807.
caption: North Gateway to Fonthill Splendens, south face, built for Alderman Beckford, circa 1756
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