https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Fonthill_-_plate_11.jpg/1200px-Fonthill_-_plate_11.jp

Here is a picture of what we know as “Audley Court” from Lady Audley’s Secret. In real life, it’s known as Fonthill Abbey. The court was built and owned by William Thomas Beckford, the son of a wealthy plantation owner. Fonthill Abbey was a country house that was built as a representation of the Beckfords’ power and status. It is located in what is now known as Salisbury, England, deep in the woods, far away from public roads. Fonthill Abbey was decorated with silver and gold, and had four wings spread from the octagonal central room. Beckford’s obsession with completing the building, combined with his wish for the tower to be an insane height made it extremely structurally complex but also unsound. This led to the collapse of the tower and damage to the western wing in 1825. The building was then sold and more of it was taken down to become what we know as Fonthill Abbey today. 

Fonthill Abbey is now known as Old Fonthill Abbey. After most of it was demolished, only a small section of the original building remains. It’s now privately owned and used as a wedding venue and a filming location. Even though only a small portion remains, there are still many visitors who come to appreciate the amazing architecture that Beckford imagined. The most unique aspect that it’s known for now is its Gothic style prevalent during Victorian times. Fonthill Abbey’s fame is nowhere near where it was when it was first built, but there are still many tours and weddings that take place in it today.