Althorp facts for kids
Althorp (pronounced like AWL-thorp) is a grand country house and estate in West Northamptonshire, England. It covers about 13,000 acres (53 square kilometers). It's located about 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Northampton and 75 miles (120 km) northwest of central London. The famous Spencer family has owned Althorp for over 500 years. Today, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer owns it. Althorp was also the childhood home of Lady Diana Spencer before she married Charles, Prince of Wales (who later became King Charles III).
Althorp is mentioned in the old Domesday Book from 1086 as a small village called "Olletorp." By 1377, it was a village with over 50 people. But by 1505, no one lived there anymore. In 1508, John Spencer bought the Althorp estate. He used money his family made from raising sheep. Althorp then became one of England's most important country homes.
The house you see today was built in 1688. It replaced an older house that King Charles I once visited. The Spencer family collected a huge amount of art and valuable items. In the 1700s, Althorp was a major social spot in England. Many important people from Great Britain's ruling class came to parties there.
George John, 2nd Earl Spencer, who owned Althorp from 1783 to 1834, built one of Europe's largest private libraries there. By the 1830s, it had over 100,000 books! Later, in 1892, John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer (known as the Red Earl) had to sell many of these books. They were bought by Enriqueta Rylands for the University of Manchester Library. Many of Althorp's furnishings were sold in the 1900s. Between 1975 and 1992, about 20% of the house's contents were sold.
The house at Althorp was once a beautiful red brick Tudor building. But its look changed a lot starting in 1788. The architect Henry Holland made big changes. He covered the red brick with special tiles and added four grand columns to the front. The main entrance hall, called Wootton Hall, is known as "the noblest Georgian room in the county." The large dining room was added in 1877. Its walls are covered with faded red silk. Many fireplaces and furniture pieces were brought to Althorp from Spencer House in London during the Blitz (World War II bombings) for safety. They are still there today.
The Picture Gallery is 115 feet (35 meters) long. It's on the first floor of the west wing. It's one of the best examples of the original Tudor oak wood in the house. It has many portraits, including famous ones by Anthony van Dyck and Mary Beale. In the 1980s, about £2 million was spent redecorating the house. During this time, most of Althorp's religious paintings were sold.
The Althorp estate has 28 listed buildings and structures. This includes nine special "planting stones." The old falconry, built in 1613, is now a Grade I listed building. Gardener's House and the West and East Lodges are also important listed buildings. The yellow stable block was designed in the 1730s. It has a Palladian style. The French landscape architect André Le Nôtre designed the park and grounds in the 1660s.
After death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, she was buried on a small island. This island is in the middle of the Round Oval lake. A temple with Diana's name is across from the lake. It's a place where visitors can leave flowers. The house and estate are open to the public in July and August.
Contents
What's in a Name?
Althorp was first mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Olletorp." This name means "Olla's Thorp." Olla was likely a medieval lord. "Thorp" is a word from Scandinavia. It probably meant "daughter's settlement."
Over the years, the name changed. In the 1200s and 1400s, it was called "Holtropp" and "Aldrop." When John Spencer bought the estate in 1508, it started being called "Oldthorpe."
Today, the correct way to say the name is "Awl-trupp." However, the media and many people say "Awl-thorp." The current owner, Charles Spencer, said his family always said "Awl-trupp." But when he took over in 1992, the BBC agreed on "Awl-thorp" for public use.
Althorp's Story
Early Days
A small village called Althorp existed here long ago. It was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. At that time, it had only ten people. By the 1400s, the village became smaller. By 1505, no tenants lived there. Most of the land was turned into sheep pastures.
In 1508, John Spencer bought Althorp for £800. His family made a lot of money from raising sheep. John Spencer owned many other properties too. It took about four years to set up the park. It had 300 acres of grassland and 100 acres of woodland.
When John Spencer died in 1522, his son William Spencer took over. After William died, his son John inherited Althorp. Then his son, also named John, took over. His son, Robert, became the 1st Baron Spencer in 1603.
Anne of Denmark and Prince Henry visited Althorp in 1603. They were on their way to Windsor Castle. The famous writer Ben Jonson wrote a special play for their visit. King Charles I also visited Althorp. The family spent a lot of money, £1,300, on a big feast for him.
After Robert Spencer died in 1627, William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton owned Althorp. His son, Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland, fought in the English Civil War. He was given the title Earl of Sunderland in 1643. Sadly, he was killed in battle at age 23.
After Henry's death, his young son Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland inherited the estate. Robert built the current house in 1688. He also made changes to Althorp park. Robert was known for his bad temper. He had to leave England for a short time. He later returned and lived quietly at Althorp until he died in 1702.
Robert's son, Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, then owned Althorp. Charles loved books and spent a lot of money on the library at Althorp. His marriage to Anne Churchill was important. Through her, the Spencer family later gained the title of Duke of Marlborough. After Charles died, his son Robert Spencer, 4th Earl of Sunderland took over. Robert died without children. So, his brother Charles became the 5th Earl of Sunderland and later the 3rd Duke of Marlborough. Charles then passed Althorp to John Spencer in 1733.
When John Spencer died in 1746, his son John inherited the estate. John was only 12 years old. He received a huge inheritance, earning almost £30,000 a year.
A Lively Home
John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer was known for spending a lot of money. He spent heavily on his political campaigns. He also built Spencer House in London. Althorp often hosted big parties with important guests. It became known as a place for fun and celebrations. John hired musicians and organized fun games for his guests. For example, they had donkey races and dance contests.
In 1755, John celebrated his 21st birthday with a grand ball. He secretly married 18-year-old Margaret Georgiana Poyntz that night. About 5,000 guests were invited to a party in a nearby village. They drank 11,000 pints of beer! Top chefs from France came to Althorp to cook for the family and guests. John was given the title Earl Spencer in 1765. His daughter, Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, was also famous for her social life.
John's son George John, 2nd Earl Spencer inherited Althorp in 1783. He loved books and built one of Europe's largest private libraries at Althorp. He collected almost every book ever published in Britain. Althorp became a major cultural center during his time. Famous artists and writers like David Garrick and Joshua Reynolds attended parties there.
However, George John's spending caused problems for the Spencer family. By the time he died in 1834, he had a debt of £500,000. His son, John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer, inherited this debt.
The 3rd Earl was a busy politician. He worked hard to pass an important law called the Reform Bill of 1832. Despite his debts, he managed to keep the huge book collection. He also kept running the other Spencer houses. He did this by living much more simply. He spent most of the year at his farm, which cost much less to run than Althorp. He also sold some land. By the time he died in 1845, he had paid off all the debt. His son Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer also kept the book collection.
John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer, known as the Red Earl, inherited Althorp in 1857. He was a close friend of Prime Minister William Gladstone. John faced financial difficulties. In 1892, he had to sell much of the huge library collection. It was bought for the University of Manchester Library. John died without children in 1910. His half-brother, Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer, then inherited Althorp.
Modern Times
Times became harder for the Spencers in the late 1800s. Many of their valuable items had to be sold. Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer inherited the estate in 1922. Albert loved art. But he also had to sell paintings and other items to pay off debts. In the 1930s, he sold a small painting of Henry VIII for £10,000 to pay for his son's education.
During the Second World War, Althorp House was not used by the military. Albert made sure they used the stables instead. Many valuable items from Spencer House in London were brought to Althorp for safety during the bombings.
Althorp was first opened to the public in 1953. This helped to reduce taxes. After Albert died in 1975, his son Edward John, 8th Earl Spencer took over. Edward loved wine and had a large wine cellar at Althorp. During his time, about 20% of Althorp's furnishings were sold. This included many paintings.
Edward left the estate to his son, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, in 1992. As a teenager, Charles worked as a tour guide at the house. When he inherited Althorp, it was losing about £400,000 each year. Charles's older sister was Diana, Princess of Wales, who grew up with him at Althorp.
Since the 1990s, Charles Spencer has worked to make the estate earn more money. The annual Althorp Literary Festival started in 2003. In 2009, a major repair project began for the roof and stonework. About £10 million was spent on the roof alone. In 2010, an auction of over 700 items from Althorp raised £21 million.
Inside Althorp House
Althorp House is described as being in a low area. It is reached by a beautiful tree-lined path. The house was originally a red brick Tudor building. A painting from 1677 shows a smaller red house. The current building was built in 1688.
The interior of the house is considered its best part. The Spencer family has a great collection of portraits. These include paintings by the famous Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck. There are also many valuable pieces of porcelain and furniture. One room is called the Queen Mary bedroom. It was used by Queen Mary and George V in 1913. In the 1980s, £2 million was spent redecorating the house. This work has since been changed back to the original grand look.
Ground Floor
Wootton Hall and Saloon
Wootton Hall is the grand entrance hall. It has a two-story high ceiling. It is called "the noblest Georgian room in the county." The hall is named after the painter John Wootton. He painted large pictures of horses for the family in 1733. These paintings still hang on the walls. The hall has many items collected over the years. It also has a sedan chair, which was found in the stable block in 1911.
A special feature of Wootton Hall is its pair of Italian marble torchères (tall stands for candles). They were a gift to the First Duke of Marlborough. They stand on either side of the door to the saloon. The ceiling has detailed plaster flowers. The black and white marble floor is also unique. Diana, Princess of Wales, used to practice her tap dancing here as a teenager.
Beyond Wootton Hall is the saloon. It was once an open courtyard but was roofed in 1650. The saloon was the first room at Althorp to have electricity. It has a grand oak staircase, added in the 1660s. The staircase is described as "surprisingly shallow and delightfully uneven."
Sitting and Drawing Rooms
The south drawing room is in the West Wing. It was once a dining room. This part of the house was changed by Henry Holland. It has a Georgian style with blue walls and green curtains. A large mirror with a gold frame stands between the windows. The yellow drawing room is also called the Rubens room. It has four paintings by Peter Paul Rubens. There are also many other paintings, including fifteen by Joshua Reynolds.
The grandmother's sitting room is in the eastern wing. It is known for its blue hand-painted walls. It was the favorite room of Charles and Diana's grandmother, Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer. Nearby was the Muniment room. This room held over 500 years of Spencer family records. Charles's grandfather, Albert Spencer, loved spending time here. The records were sold to the British Library in the 1980s.
The Sutherland room is in the rear east wing. It was once a bedroom. It still has many old mouldings not seen in other parts of the house. It has two fireplaces from Spencer House. The paintings in the room show the family's love for foxhunting.
The Marlborough room is named after Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. It has a large dining table that can seat up to 42 people. This room was created after changes were made in 1911. Portraits by Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds hang on the walls.
Examples of paintings at Althorp
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Portrait of Lavinia Bingham, Countess Spencer by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1781–1782)
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Shorthorn bull portrait by an unknown artist (before 1845)
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Portrait of Lady Margaret Georgiana Poyntz by Pompeo Batoni (c.1764)
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The Hon. John Spencer (1708–1746), his son the 1st Earl Spencer (1734–1783) and their servant, Caesar Shaw by George Knapton (c.1744)
Dining Rooms
The great dining room is in the east wing. It was added in 1877. Its walls are covered with faded red silk. The Spencers ate their daily meals in the tapestry dining room. This room has two tapestries, one of gypsies and one of farming. The oak paneling came from the family's other property, Wormleighton Manor. Charles Spencer remembered that meals here were often "silent and tense."
Library
The ceiling of the original library collapsed in 1773. George John loved books from a young age. He tried to collect every book ever published in Britain.
The books were kept in five rooms in the west wing. Together, they formed the "Long Library." George John collected British works and old Greek and Latin books. He paid high prices for rare books. In 1812, he bought a copy of Boccaccio's The Decameron for £750.
In 1802, George hired Reverend Thomas Frognall Dibdin as the official librarian. He created many catalogs of the books. The collection grew so large that the library couldn't hold all the books. Books were also stored in the long picture gallery upstairs. By George John's death in 1834, he had one of Europe's largest private collections, with about 110,000 books.
Billiard Room
The billiard room is between the south drawing room and the library. It looks out over the deer park. It was once called the "Rubens room." The room now has many horse and sporting paintings. It also has a full-sized billiard table. The room's fireplace was made by Derval. It also has a bronze sculpture of Forager, the Red Earl's favorite foxhound.
China Museum and Porcelain
The old "painter's passage" was renovated after World War II. Glass cases were put in to show off the Spencer family's dishes. This included porcelain from famous makers like Meissen and Sèvres. Today, most of this collection is in the China Museum. This museum is on the east side of the house. The passage now has busts and paintings. Charles Spencer's favorite items are a pair of blue and white tulipieres (vases for tulips).
The Garden Lobby also has many pieces of porcelain. These include rare Oriental pieces. There is a Sèvres tobacco jar and two Chelsea vases. There is also a finely carved Meissen flower bowl from around 1745. A blue and gold Meissen chocolate set was believed to be made for Marie Antoinette in 1781.
First Floor
The Picture Gallery and Chapel
The picture gallery is 115 feet (35 meters) long. It is on the first floor of the west wing. This room is a great example of the original Tudor oak wood. In the 1700s, the oak paneling was painted white. It was restored in 1904. In Tudor times, ladies used the gallery for exercise on rainy days. It was also used as a dining hall.
The gallery has about 60 portraits. These include Van Dyck's War and Peace. There are also portraits of James I and Charles II. The portraits are in fancy gold frames. These frames were designed by Robert Spencer, the Second Earl. Albert Spencer was very protective of War and Peace. He had a window turned into a door so it could be safely removed in case of fire. There is also a hidden door that leads to a staircase and a guest bedroom.
The chapel on the upper floor became a storage room in the 1980s. The stained glass window in the chapel is from 1588. It was brought from Wormleigton. The organ is more recent, from the 1990s. Some earlier owners of Althorp, like George John, were very religious. They would preach in the chapel. It is still used for family christenings and services today.
Notable paintings on the upper floor
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War and Peace by Sir Anthony van Dyck (1637)
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Portrait of Claude de Lorrain, Prince of Chevreuse by Frans Pourbus the Younger (1610)
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Portrait of Lady Jane Grey by Lucas de Heere before 1584)
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Bedrooms
The oak bedroom is at the back of the castle. The marriage of the first Earl Spencer and Margaret Georgiana happened secretly here. It was on December 20, 1755, during a ball. Georgiana later said she "trembled so much I could hardly stand." In 1998, it had red wallpaper and oak furniture.
The great room is next to the oak bedroom. It was used by George John, the Second Earl, for important meetings. This room is mostly red and gold. It has a large gilded mirror. The mirror has the Spencer family crest at the top. The great room has many small portraits. This includes a rare portrait of Lady Jane Grey as a teenager.
The Princess of Wales Bedroom is named after Alexandra, Princess of Wales. She stayed at Althorp in 1863. The room is mostly Georgian. It has deep red walls and furniture. It also has a portrait of a young princess by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. The Queen Mary Bedroom is named after Mary, the wife of King George V. She visited Althorp in 1913. It has a very tall bed from the 1700s. Two chairs in this room have needlework made by Albert, who was chairman of the Royal School of Needlework.
The upper floor also has the India silk bedroom and the ante room. The ante room was once called the patchwork bedroom. It was set up by Charlotte, Countess Spencer and her sister.
Outside Buildings
The Althorp estate has 28 listed buildings and structures. Nine of these are "planting stones." Two buildings are Grade I listed, including the main house. Two are Grade II* listed, like the stable block and Gardener's House. The rest are Grade II listed.
The yellow stable block was designed by Roger Morris in the 1730s. It replaced an older building. It could hold 30 to 40 horses. The building has a clear Tuscan style. It once had a fountain in the courtyard for the horses. It also had hot and cold baths for riders. The stable block was used as an exhibition center for Princess Diana from 1998 to 2013. Now, it hosts a yearly exhibition about the estate.
The Falconry was built in 1613. It is also a Grade I listed building. It has a gabled roof and is two stories tall. It has been home to the park warden and gamekeeper over the centuries. Both the stable block and Falconry became listed buildings in 1954.
The Gardener's House is also a Grade II* listed building. It was built in a similar style. The head gardener lived there in the 1700s. It has a marble sculpture called The Shipwrecked Mariner. Charles Spencer moved it to the main house.
The North and South West Lodges were built around 1730. The North and South East Lodges were built around 1810. All four are Grade II listed buildings. The Dairy Cottage, near the lake, is from the late 1700s.
The Grounds
The Althorp estate covers about 13,000 acres (53 square kilometers). It includes the house grounds, woodlands, cottages, and farms. The soil is rich and dark. The estate is mostly on Jurassic Clay. High Wood is to the southwest of the house. Sir John's Wood is in the northwest corner. It is named after John Spencer, who planted many woods in the 1500s. He planted them for security after the Spanish Armada.
The French landscape architect André Le Nôtre designed the park and grounds in the 1660s. A map from 1709 shows the changes. It shows the house with a large courtyard and formal gardens. During the 1700s, the lake in the deer park was drained. The old moat was also removed. In the 1990s, more changes were made by Dan Pearson. This was when the Diana memorial was created.
Diana's Grave, Memorial, and Exhibition
Diana, Princess of Wales, was buried on a small island. This island is in the middle of the Round Oval lake. The island was chosen because the water would protect her resting place. The ground was blessed before the burial. Her grave is marked with a white memorial and an urn.
A temple with Diana's name is across from the lake. Visitors can leave flowers there. It has a black outline of her in the middle. One tablet has a quote from Diana about her charity work. The other has Charles Spencer's tribute from her funeral. The temple was originally built to thank God for a British victory in a battle.
After Diana's death in 1997, the garden designer Dan Pearson updated the park. This was to prepare for visitors. Thirty-six oak trees were planted along the road. They symbolize the years of Diana's life. Thousands of plants were planted, including white roses and water lilies.
The estate's stable block was turned into a public exhibition about Diana. It was open from 1998 to 2013. It was designed by Rasshied Ali Din. He created six rooms from the old carriage houses. The old tea room became a restaurant.
The first room was called "Spencer Women." It showed Diana's family history. The next room had videos of Diana as a child. It showed her christening, first steps, and love for animals. It also had her childhood toys and a photo album.
A third room showed her Royal Wedding. It displayed her wedding dress. A fourth room showed her charity work through videos. A fifth room was called the "Tribute Room."
The sixth room was the Exhibition. It celebrated her life. It had glass cases with Diana's famous suits and dresses. A large glass case held hundreds of condolence books from around the world. A copy of her brother Charles's speech from her funeral was also available.
The estate and house are open to the public in the summer (July to August). The exhibition center in the stable block closed in 2013. This was likely to avoid too much focus on Diana's name. The items from the exhibition are now being given to her sons, William and Harry. All profits from the exhibition went to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
Haunting Stories
The current owner, Charles Spencer, says he has never seen a ghost at Althorp. However, many ghostly sightings have been reported over the years. In the mid-1800s, a guest complained that a ghost dressed as a groom entered his room. This ghost was believed to be a deceased servant. Lady Margaret Douglas-Home also said she knew of a ghost of a girl with grey slippers in the gallery.
See Also
- List of historic houses in England
