the art of stately living - lord spencer
TRANSCRIPT
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