About 1755 Dashwood founded the famous "Hell-fire Club", or "monks of Medmenham Abbey". Medmenham Abbey, formerly belonging to the Cistercian order, was beautifully situated on the banks of the Thames near Marlow, Buckinghamshire. It was rented, from Francis Duffield, by Dashwood, his half-brother Sir John Dashwood-King, his cousin Sir Thomas Stapleton, Paul Whitehead, John Wilkes, and others to the number of twelve, who frequently resorted thither during the summer. They had it rebuilt by the architect Nicholas Revett in the style of the 18th century Gothic revival. It is thought that Hogarth may have executed murals for this building; none, however, survive.