Althorp

See also Althorpe, Lincolnshire.

Althorp's entrance front in the 1820s. The appearance of the house from this angle is almost unaltered today.

Althorp as it was in 2006.

Althorp (pronounced /ˈɔːlθɔrp/ or /ˈɔːltrəp/) is a country estate (of 14,000 acres) and stately home in Northamptonshire, England, located roughly 8 kilometres (5 mi) north-west of the county town Northampton. It has been the ancestral home of the Spencer family since the early 16th century and is currently owned by Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer. Within the Grounds there are earthworks of the lost Village of Althorp on which the estate was built. The Spencer family fortune derived from its earliest known ancestor, Sir John Spencer of Wormleighton, Warwickshire, who bought Althorp in 1522 with the huge profits from his sheep-rearing business.

The house was originally a red brick Tudor building but its appearance was radically altered in the 18th century when the famous architect Henry Holland was commissioned to make extensive changes. The interior of the house is generally considered its strongest asset as the Spencer family has assembled an impressive collection of portrait art including several pieces painted by the Flemish master Anthony van Dyck. The estate stable block has been converted into an exhibition devoted to the memory of Diana, Princess of Wales and provides an attractive sandstone setting that effectively offsets the imposing facade of the house. Diana is buried on a small island in the middle of a lake on the estate.

The estate and house are open to the public during the summer months (1 July to 30 August in 2009) All profits made are donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. The estate was first opened to the public in 1953, by the 7th Earl Spencer, to mitigate against taxation.

The estate had its own railway station called Althorp Park on the Northampton Loop Line until 1960. When the royal train visited for the public funeral for Diana, it travelled instead to Long Buckby railway station.

Bibliography

• Spencer, Charles (1998) Althorp: the story of an English house. London: Viking
• Battiscombe, Georgina (1984) The Spencers of Althorp. London: Constable

See also

• Historic houses in England

External links

• Althorp's Website
• Althorp entry from The DiCamillo Companion to British & Irish Country Houses
• BBC guide to Althorp
• Map sources for Althorp

v • d • e Places in Daventry District Althorp – Arthingworth – Ashby St Ledgers – Badby – Barby – Barby Nortoft – Boughton – Braunston – Brixworth – Brockhall – Byfield – Canons Ashby – Chapel Brampton – Charwelton – Church Brampton – Church Stowe – Clay Coton – Clipston – Cold Ashby – Coton – Cottesbrooke – Creaton – Crick – Daventry – Dodford – Draughton – East Farndon – East Haddon – Elkington – Everdon – Farthingstone – Fawsley – Flore – Great Brington – Great Oxendon – Guilsborough – Hanging Houghton – Hannington – Harlestone – Haselbech – Hellidon – Holcot – Holdenby – Hollowell – Kelmarsh – Kilsby – Lamport – Lilbourne – Little Brington – Little Everdon – Long Buckby – Lower Catesby – Maidwell – Marston Trussell – Moulton – Naseby – Newnham – Nobottle – Nortoft – Norton – Old – Overstone – Pitsford – Preston Capes – Ravensthorpe – Scaldwell – Sibbertoft – Snorscombe – Spratton – Stanford-on-Avon – Staverton – Sulby – Teeton – Thornby – Upper Catesby – Upper Stowe – Walgrave – Watford – Weedon Bec – Welford – Welton – West Haddon – Westhorp - Whilton – Winwick – Woodford Halse – Yelvertoft

Coordinates: 52°16′49″N 1°00′07″W / 52.28028°N 1.00194°W / 52.28028; -1.00194