Who Learns Will Love

Who learns will love 
and not destroy
the creature's life, 
the flower's joy.

-Henry Chapman Mercer

It’s the last day of 2025 and I hustled over to Fonthill to catch the final day of the Holiday Tree Tour, where 14 rooms of Fonthill Castle are decorated with themed Christmas trees. Once finished with the tree tour, the woods were calling, so I enjoyed a brisk walk around the grounds to take in the beauty of this bright winter daty.

Inside the visitors center, you will find Mercer’s signature tiles with the above statement, taken from the inscription found on “the little house in the woods,” located along the trails that meander around the property.

Henry Mercer, an archeologist and collector, was one of the first preservationists, with Fonthill being a symbol and repository for his world renowned tiles; with a new story unfolding in each room of the castle, his enviable collection of books and art as well as the preservation of the 69 acres of former farmland that surround the property.

Mercer’s impressive collection of pre-industrial tools and artifacts are housed at nearby Mercer Museum, also in Doylestown.

Mercer’s vision involved transforming the surrounding land with trails, wetlands, and plantings, with the idea that it would become a bird sanctuary and also a place of education for future generations.

Mercer gifted the property to the Bucks County Historical Society 1n 1916, together with the tools and artifacts housed in the Mercer Museum. An endowment was provided to support the museum’s future. BCHS manages the property as a National Historic Landmark.  

With the continuous pressure of development, I am deeply grateful for Henry Mercer’s forethought in preserving this little pocket of history, providing a quiet refuge in the middle of bustling Doylestown. As we move into 2026, my hope is that visitors (and readers) will understand the connection between preserved land and a high quality of life and will incorporate some of Mercer’s legacy into their own lives as they are able.

If you missed the colorful tree tour or if you would like a peek inside the castle, pop over to my Instagram to see some of the decorated trees!

See you in 2026!