Althorp has been the home of the Spencer family for almost 500 years.
In the late 15th century John Spencer, a sheep farmer from Warwickshire, took a lease on the manor and his grandson bought the estate and built the house. The Spencer family became very wealthy and in 1603 were raised to a peerage.
40 years later they were given the earldom of Sunderland but until the Civil War the Spencers lived principally at Wormleighton in Warwickshire. In the 1570s Althorp was enlarged to its present courtyard shape with wings.
The 2nd Earl of Sunderland engaged Anthony Ellis, a pupil of Nicholas Stone, to remodel the house in 1666-68. The brick house was refaced and adorned with classical pilasters on both floors.
In 1729 the 5th Earl commissioned the architect Roger Morris to create the neo-Palladian stable block in local brown stone. When the 5th Earl inherited the Dukedom of Marlborough in 1734 he decided to live at Blenheim Palace and left Althorp to his younger brother, a renowned art collector.
His son, who was created Earl Spencer, built the splendid Spencer House on the edge of Green Park in London.
In 1787 - 91 the 2nd Earl engaged Henry Holland to encase the exterior of Althorp in grey 'mathematical tiles' and create a new suite of reception rooms on the ground-floor.
At the end of the 19th century J.MacVicar Anderson designed a new dining room and remodelled parts of the interior. More internal alterations were made in the 20th century, when chimneypieces, furniture and paintings were brought to Althorp from Spencer House.
The present Earl Spencer, brother of the late Princess of Wales, has converted the stable block to provide the setting for an exhibition, "Diana: A Celebration", honouring the memory of the Princess.
Althorp is set in beautiful parkland, with the house is approached from the stable block and entered through the portico on Holland's south facade.
The Entrance Hall created for the 5th Earl of Sunderland by John Wooton - has Palladian doorcases and the coved ceiling has plaster decoration by John Woolston of Northampton.
From here a central doorway leads into the Saloon, which takes up the whole of the original 16th century courtyard and has a vast collection of family portraits. The oak staircase leads to the main reception rooms above.
The rooms on the ground floor date from late-18th and 19th century.
The Victorian Dining Room has furniture by Holland and George Seddon and paintings by Salvator Rosa and Guercino. The Marlborough Room in the north range has fireplaces from Spencer House and some fine portraits by Reynolds.
The west range consists of three rooms designed by Holland in the 1780s: the Library, the Rubens Room, and the South Drawing Room.
The Gallery is the only room to survive largely unaltered from the 2nd Lord Sunderland's time. This occupies most of the first floor of the west wing and has wood panelling displaying a collection of portraits. The paintings include works by Van Dyck, Lely and Knellers.
A gallery which runs alongside the staircase hall at first-floor level to a series of reception rooms on the north side of the house, which were remodelled in the late-18th century, and contains furniture by 'Athenian' Stuart and others.
The Palladian stable block has four corner towers and a vast Tuscan portico, and at one time accommodated up to 100 horses and 40 grooms. Today the stable block houses an exhibition celebrating the life of Diana, Princess of Wales and honouring her memory after her death.
Visitors can view the house, the exhibition and grounds as well as the Island in the Round Oval lake were the Princess is buried.
All visits must be booked in advance.
2008: 1 Jul-30 Aug: every day 11:00-17:00. Extra charge to view the upstairs rooms of the house.
Tel: 01604 770107 Althorp Website
