the art of stately living - lord spencer

A HISTORIC FAMILY

BUILT IN1508

SPENCER HOUSE: THE

LONDON CONNECTION

90 ROOMS

90 ROOMS

The Princess of Wales Bedroom was named in honour of a visit to Althorp from the future King Edward VII and his wife, Princess Alexandra in 1863.

THE PRINCESS OF WALES ROOM

This room is named in memory of Sarah (nee Jennings) First Duchess of Marlborough, whose vast bequest to the family in 1744 cemented the Spencer dynasty’s financial security.

THE MARLBOROUGH ROOM

This grand, central, hallway was once an open courtyard where visitors to the house would arrive and dismount their horses.

THE SALOON

In Painters’ Passage, Roman Emperors’ busts stand opposite those of the Spencer family,

THE PAINTER’S PASSAGE

The striking Palladian hall you first enter incorporates a series of country scenes by the English artist John Wootton [c.1682-1764] – which lends the hall its name. Wootton’s fame rests as the specialist English sporting painter of his day.

THE WOOTTON HALL

At one time, the book collection at Althorp numbered more than 40,000 volumes — the largest private library in the world.

THE LIBRARY

The Ante Room to the Great Room contains many of the paintings from Spencer House. Once a bedroom, it is now used as an occasional dining room for informal occasions.

THE ANTE ROOM

THE WOOTTON HALL

The striking Palladian hall you first enter incorporates a series of country scenes by the English artist John Wootton [c.1682-1764] – which lends the hall its name.

THE SOUTH DRAWING ROOM

The South Drawing Room was, for a hundred years, a dining room and now serves as a reception room. It contains some splendidly ornate and important furniture, much of it French, acquired by the First Earl Spencer for Spencer House in London.

550 ACRES

CONSERVING

THE PAST

CONSERVING

THE PAST

A DYNAMIC ESTATE

250 Hand Crafted pieces of furniture, from classic to casual

A UNIQUE

COLLECTION

Inspired by the past – Living History

COLLECTION

HIGHLIGHTS

In the main passage of the private wing of Althorp stands the Washington Chest, a piece of oak furniture which the local priest, in 1877, authenticated as having belonged to the Washingtons before emigration to America.

THE WASHINGTON CHEST

THE 5TH Earl Spencer’s favourite foxhound

FORAGER

The original George III, in The Wootton Hall at Althorp.

THE WOOTTON HALL CHAIR

The "Jupe" table is named after Robert Jupe, a cabinetmaker at the forefront of inventive furniture design in the mid-19th century.

THE ALTHORP JUPE TABLE

The original very large set designed by George Seddon circa 1800, now in the Marlborough room.

THE SEDDON CHAIR