Plan your visit
Getting here
51.08118, -2.10896
About FONTHILL
Fonthill Abbey—also known as Beckford's Folly—was a large Gothic Revival country house built between 1796 and 1813 at Fonthill Gifford in Wiltshire, England, at the direction of William Beckford and architect James Wyatt.
Read more on Wikipedia →Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦71+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Mute Swan and Moorhen
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦71+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Mute Swan and Moorhen
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days
Good to know
- 🐕Dogs welcome
Best for
Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Mute Swan, Moorhen, Mallard +68 more · last seen 2026; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds
Heritage
Very strong match
Grade I listed building: NOS 65 AND 66 (THE ARCHWAY) WITH FLANKING WALLS; Historic site with public access
Wildlife
Strong match
Birds — Mute Swan, Moorhen, Mallard +68 more · last seen 2026; Deciduous woodland priority habitat
Insect spotting
Strong match
Chalk and limestone grassland — chalkhill blue, adonis blue and rare moths; Insects — 7-spot Ladybird, Dock Bug, Syrphus +30 more · last seen 2025
Foraging
Strong match
Traditional orchard — seasonal fruit, fungi and wild plants
Seasonal nature
Good match
Plants — Wild Carrot, Scarlet Pimpernel, Mugwort +14 more · last seen 2025
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km🚶Walking
2 signed routes nearby · 28 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Walking
Monarch's WayWalking route990 km
approximate route of Charles II's escape
Wessex RidgewayWalking route
Wood Lanepublic footpath · 131 m
🚴Cycling
3 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Cycling
Wiltshire CyclewayCycling route155 km
National BywayCycling route
National Byway (Tisbury Loop)Cycling route
🚵Mountain biking
1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Mountain biking
Wessex Ridgeway TrailMountain bike route
🐴Horse riding
18 public paths nearby
Public paths
Horse riding
Chalk Lanerestricted byway · 157 m
Greenwichbridleway · 236 m
Wildlife to spot
Photos
Weather for this location
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Nearby places
Useful places within 5 km