While some of the Blaise Estate structures were built before the accepted British Romanticism period, they went through quite a few renovations over time and the estate was incredibly popular throughout the Romantic era. Jane Austen included this estate in her novel, Northanger Abbey, as an exciting destination for her main character to enjoy, especially the gothic aspect of Blaise Castle.

Blaise Castle was built in 1766 by a slave trader that wanted to observe his distant ships from the top of the hill. It is interesting that the castle was so popular during the Romantic period since there was also a great push to advocate freedom for all, including slaves. A building that had been erected merely as a way to oversee the coming and going of slave ships is certainly an interesting attraction for a generation that was becoming increasingly aware of how wrong owning slaves was. In keeping with the perspective that Blaise Castle was not all it appeared to be, it is also known as a gothic folly because it was built to look like it came from a time period when gothic architecture was at its peak. This is a farse, but the castle was enjoyed by many visitors over the years, especially during the romantic era because of growing popularity in all things gothic, mostly stemming from popular gothic novels.

Another interesting aspect of the estate was the planned road up to the main house. The creator did not want the road to be built simply for his guests to get from point A to point B. He wanted it to be an experience. Therefore, he created a winding road that led through the surrounding forest, allowing the travelers to enjoy the nature around them as well as get glimpses of the main house every once in a while. The way the road was planned may be a big reason for why the estate was so popular during the romantic period. People were very interested in nature, feelings, and freedom at the time. There is no doubt that Blaise Estate should be included in the British Romanticism period’s history.

Gothic Folly Castle on the Blaise Estate

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/articles/2006/03/01/blaise_feature....

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