Of all the rooms in Ashton Court Mansion, the Gothic Library is perhaps the most atmospheric. Created during the great Gothic Revival renovation of the 1830s-1850s, it is a masterpiece of Victorian design — a room intended to evoke the scholarly grandeur of a medieval monastery or Oxford college.
The library features dark wood panelling from floor to ceiling, an ornate plaster ceiling with Gothic tracery, and tall pointed windows that flood the room with natural light. Carved bookcases line the walls, their shelves once filled with the Smyth family's collection of books and manuscripts.
The room's proportions are intimate rather than grand — unlike the soaring Great Hall, the library invites quiet contemplation. It is easy to imagine the room as it once was: a crackling fire in the stone fireplace, oil lamps casting warm shadows across leather-bound volumes, the silence broken only by the turning of pages.
Today, the Gothic Library is one of the mansion's most sought-after spaces for film and photography. Its period-perfect details and moody atmosphere have made it a favourite with production companies looking for authentic Victorian and Gothic settings.
The restoration of the library is a priority for BHBT. While the room's structure is largely intact, the woodwork requires careful conservation, the plaster ceiling needs stabilisation, and the windows need sympathetic repair. When complete, the library will be available for private hire, exhibitions, and intimate events.