For more information on the Fairhope Storybook Castle and AirBnB, please visit www.fairhopecastle.com
Mosher Castle is a private residence. Anyone may view and photograph the castle exterior at any time. For entry into the castle, please contact Dean at 251-928-0900 or email deanmosherstudio@gmail.com to schedule a tour or request use of the castle for professional photography or video.
Mosher Castle featured in the documentary The Utopian Fairhope.
Nestled on the edge of a wood near downtown Fairhope, Alabama, stands the Mosher Castle.
Hand-built with incredible attention to detail by artist Dean Mosher, it serves as both home and studio for Dean and his wife Pagan and their two children Megrez and Cleveland.
The tower contains bedrooms for the children on the second and third floors, while the ground floor houses Pagan's office and sitting room.
Every part is handmade and designed by Dean down to the last detail, such as the entrance doors with their subtle dragon motif, showing the dragon shooting a fireball around the doorknob.
The centerpiece of the fountain that feeds the moat is crucible once used to pour molten bronze into one of Pagan's father's sculptures. Dean likes the contrast between the 2100-degree metal and the cool water that now gushes forth. Dean's studio entrance is accessed by crossing the drawbridge over the moat by the waterfall and pond area full of koi goldfish and minnows.
As a descendant of William the Conqueror and Henry II, Dean has a special place in his heart for lions, sculpting them for his cornice pieces. If you look closely, you will see that Dean's leos have manes formed of leaves rather than fur.
The artist has been building his studio home for nearly 30 years in and around raising his family and pursuing his art. Much of Dean's construction knowledge was acquired working with his late father-in-law, Craig Sheldon, master carpenter, mason, and woodcarver. Dean's wife Pagan, a retired professional dancer, now teaches ballet. They married in 1978.
Renowned potter Charlie Smith created the wonderful sunburst that graces the south face of the tower. Its mood changes as the sun journeys across the sky each day.
The artist's home has been featured on HGTV, APT, and other programs.
If you're wandering through the woods near Fairhope, you might get an enchanted look at this magical home. Thousands of visitors come by every year to see the castle. Anyone is allowed to come see and photograph the exterior of the building at any time, but please contact Dean first if you wish to meet him or see the interior of the castle.
Both the exterior and the interior are largely made of local materials. The stone facing is indigenous to the area, as is the underlying wall tile. Even interior trim is from trees felled on the site.
McGuire's Pipe Band at Mosher Castle.
In amongst the stones are pieces of glass and pottery as well as objects from around the world, including the Great Wall of China and the Berlin Wall.
All of the trim pieces are handmade to accent the house. Dragons carved by Craig Sheldon ornament Dean's studio, while phoenixes grace Pagan's workplace.
