Week of Short Travels (part two)

Well, this trip wasn't really short - it takes about 4 hours to get there from home.  The family loves to travel, so it was quite easy.  Plus, the lore of a swimming pool (at the hotel) was enough to get them excited.  Got to Doylsetown PA by lunchtime.  Had a quick bit to eat - burgers and onion rings of corse and then headed over to the

 Fonthill Castle

  

Photos from: (click here)

where we had a tour set up for 2:30pm.  Photographs are not allowed on grounds but let me tell you the tour director was fantastic.  Telling stories and interesting tid bits that kept my eldest asking questions.  Really informative and the hour tour ran a bit long.  SO much to look at.  It's a cement poured house that Henry Chapman Mercer commissioned, he always ment it as a living museum.  All the tiles works (and there are WAY too many to count) that are on display were made in the Moravian Factory that is only a few steps away.  He lived there with many people coming to visit.  Never married or had children so this place stayed as it was with all his books and collections all throughout the house.  Just incredible collections of items too, lots of things hanging from hooks and such.  

Then we walked over to the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works - Museum and Factory - I would go to their Facebook page -you get more information there.  Very interesting history and I was thrilled to walk around and see the working kilns and talk with a few tile workers.

This is the clay storage room in the dank basement of the castle.  It smells like my old damp box at the Cornell Pot Shop.  Its sort of a moist fermented mold earth smell - and I love it.  My boys ran from the room holding their noses, Haa ha.

Turns out a few years ago I purchased a Moravian Tile at a yardsale.  Its of a tree and its from the 1974 production - they year they started the factory back up.  Yay  I bought another tree tile and a little bee to go with it.  Off to the hotel for a swim and dinner.  What a luxury to stay in a hotel room - free breakfast and swam twice.  

Second day there we went to the Mercer Museum.  

Its like walking thru a living M.C. Escher painting

Even when you are there you don't know which way is up!  The boys LOVED it.  The 5 story part of this building is unheated so bring your coat.  So many collections, so much stuff.  I really enjoyed walking around, we spent a good two+ hours looking in nooks and crannies. 

Lots of fireplace iron plates.

Spinner :)

Highly recommend this town - the weather wasn't the greatest for walking around the little streets and shops, as we got a bit soaked, but really enjoyed ourselves.  It would be nice to go back during the summer.