The Great Country Estates of Britain Series. Part Eight: Althorp....

The Althorp estate has been the ancestral home of the Spencer family since the 16th century. Their 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 (under whom Sir John Soane studied) was commissioned to make extensive changes.

Above: Althorp in the 1820s
Below: Althorp in the 1920s

The interior decor of the house is generally considered its best asset, as the Spencer family has amassed an impressive collection of portraiture, including several van Dycks.

The 9th Earl Spencer in recent years has auctioned some of Althorp's 'best assets', realising £21.1m at Christie’s alone. The two major paintings sold were Rubens’s Portrait of a Com­mander (1614), which had been in the family since before 1802., which went for £9m; and Guercino’s King David (1651), acquired for Spencer House in 1768 but which went to Althorp in 1924, which sold for £5.2m.

Above: Rubens’s Portrait of a Com­mander

Above: 'War and Peace' - A double portrait of George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol and William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford. 1637. Oil on canvas by Anthony van Dyck.

A further sale at Christie’s of lesser items, including 19th century carriages raised a further £2m.

In his 1998 book on Althorp, The 9th Earl criticised his father for selling off family art treasures. He revealed that "dozens of paintings had gone to London art dealers in laundry baskets from Althorp’s back door". However, it is clear that he has been forced to do the same. In September 2009, Lord Spencer started a major restoration project repairing the roof, stonework and the tiles which clad Althorp. The up-keep on historic family estates remains steep and not all of the money can be made by 'opening your house to the public once a year on Queen Alexandra's day'. As Blackadder would say "needs must when the devil vomits into your kettle".

For a good in-depth post of the Christies Sales read Manner of Man Magazine's article.

Above: The Blue Drawing Room

Below: The Dining Room

Above: The Wooton Hall

Below: The Private Library

The stable block (below) has been converted into an exhibition devoted to the memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Diana is interred on a small island in the middle of the lake on the estate.

Above: The 'Temple of Diana' Memorial beside the lake

Below: An urn marking the site of her grave on the island in the lake

Above: A portrait of Diana

Althorp has extensive grounds and gardens, and even had its own railway station called Althorp Park on the Northampton Loop line until 1960. (c.f. my dream of Willowbrook Halt)

The estate was first opened to the public in 1953, by the 7th Earl Spencer, to mitigate against taxation, the 9th Earl, in order to maintain Althorp must continue to do the same.

Above: Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer

For the official Althorp website click here