History of The House

Much has happened to improve The Little Stone House in 2019, as the below video documents. Read further for some of the unique history.

Documentary on the Graffiti Cleanup. July, 2019.

The Little Stone House, in a photo circa 1930’s.

The little stone house is near Fonthill Castle, home of Henry Chapman Mercer. Originally part of the Bestler tract of land purchased by Mercer in 1907, the house was restored by him in 1916, with the inscription below in Mercer tiles under the roof line. There is also a charming tile with an image of a bird at top center which reads “Silva Vocat” (“The Forest Calls.”)

In May 1917, the Doylestown Nature Club began using the building for meetings and to store its archives. After many years, unfortunately, the little house fell into disrepair and has undergone much damage from vandalism and the elements.

The forest, and the house, are now calling for our assistance. One evening, several of us began talking in a Facebook group about a little stone house in the woods near Henry Chapman Mercer’s Fonthill Castle in Doylestown, PA. An article about the history of the house was posted. That night, we began our group, which grew to over 100 members in just over a week.

The Bucks County Historical Society, which owns the grounds, and The Little Stone House, have launched “The Fonthill Woodlands Project,” with plans to improve the grounds around Fonthill, which includes the house. Several members of “The Friends of The Little Stone House” have graciously been invited to be part of these efforts, and thus far have helped with volunteer cleanup efforts around The Little House, which recently included removal of all exterior graffiti, and help installing security cameras. Please consider a donation to help support the project. See the Fonthill Woodlands Project for details. Thank you!