The Not-So-Holy Order of the Friars of St Francis of Wycombe

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Established in West Wycombe by Sir Francis Dashwood in 1749, the Brotherhood of St. Francis of Wycombe was anything but saintly. Devoted to wicked fun and debauchery, for the next two decades, many notable individuals in England counted themselves members, such as the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu, Baron George Dodington, member of Parliament Thomas Potter, and, while not a full member, distinguished guest Ben Franklin, who was a friend of Dashwood’s and is known to have attended meetings when in town.

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[jmchez]

Too much money, too much time, not enough foresight to know what to do with all that time and money. To paraphrase John Adams; “I am a politician and soldier, so that my son may be a merchant, scientist or engineer, so that his son may be an artist or poet.”

Yeah, it's just that the artist and poet grandchildren forget what it took to get them all that comfort.

[sodomizingdeathmaster]

Reminds me of my old Boy Scout troop, only with fewer GamePro magazines or discussions of Mortal Kombat.

[brianartillery]

The gardens around Dashwood's home were landscaped at great cost, and the various temples, statues and folly ruins can still be seen today, including the peculiar many sided, open mausoleum (used as a location for the Hammer horror movie 'To The Devil: A Daughter'). What cannot be seen today, though, are the ground-works he had made, which from the ground looked no more than turfed banks, small hills, and clumps of trees. When viewed from Dashwood's house, or the church tower, these revealed various enormous female figures, arrayed in 'States of lewdness and lascivity'. These were later scrubbed up by the landscape designer Humphrey Repton. The church repairs were interesting, especially the novel addition to the tower. A huge ball, which could be entered by a precarious ladder into a trapdoor. Inside, there is room for thirteen people to sit and play cards. Four tiny porthole windows at the cardinal points admit light. I bet it's fun up there in a thunderstorm... maybe that's why Ben Franklin was a frequent guest? I like to think that Dashwood had a credo similar to Spinal Tap's keyboard player, Viv Savage: "Have a good time... All the time".

[Odood]

Sooo, they were frat before frats were invented?

[emilygilbeyful]

I live close to Wycombe and still love to visit the hellfire caves!

[scottscott]

5:33 - I attended Maynooth when it was a seminary for Priests and Orders in 1984 as a seminarian for Orders. Wow, how things have changed.

[newtonianromance]

"lady of cheerful lively thats what im talking about!

[helenmcclure]

The Hellfire Club never really closed its doors. It’s simply moved above ground & today we locals simply refer to it as High Wycombe.

[HondaCL]

White shirt in the thumbnail, blue shirt in the video?

[damiensadventure]

So much content I'm all about it!!!

[JustinY.]

The real question is: Did they praise the sun?

[folatour]

Lol he pronounces Fay ce que tu voudras as if it was some latin incantation when in fact its just french.

[motorin]

Very interesting and you've reminded me of the band Electric Hellfire Club which I was a little into briefly in the mid '90s.

[Tom-ulet]

Nice work. Thanks. With best regards from, Tom Dashwood

[owenfitzgerald]

Do What Thou Wilt is from Thelma which in the 19th century Aleister Crowley was heavily into.

[condorboss]

What about the Baby-Eating Bishop of Bath and Wells?

[kaibalfour]

My sister dated Sir Francis’s direct descendant Robert Dashwood. They’re just friends now but I can’t wait to go visit the estate

[kirbymarchbarcena]

Well, I guess the Hellfire Club is what inspired Marvel comics to make such group as an antagonist for the X-Men.

[TJDious]

When you hear all kinds of hushed-whispered nonsense about Bohemian Grove or Skull and Bones, this is what's going on there. Men of means letting it all hang out who can also afford to do so in extravagant fashion.

[hullbreach]

These guys sound great. Where do i sign up?