Description

SP66NE ALTHORP

Althorp House
7/1
02/11/54
I
GV

Country House. c.1508, for John Spencer, remodelled by Henry Holland 1789.
White mathematical tiles with ashlar dressing and slate roof. Originally
courtyard, now U-plan. South front: 2 storeys with attic, symmetrical core
of 5-window range with flanking wings having vestibule projections. Large
ashlar pilasters with Corinthian capitals, between windows of centre range,
supporting pediment with entablature. Central entrance with pediment oiler
and C19 half-glazed doors. Sash windows with glazing bars have moulded stone
heads and surrounds. Hipped roofs, with the exception of the vestibule
projections, have dormers with pediments over. Moulded cornice throughout.
Lateral and central stacks. Large armorial moulding in pediment. West front
similar of 10 bays. North front similar of 10 bays. End and centre 3 bays
breaking forward with occulus in pediment over. Central entrance and end
flanking sashes have pediments over. C19 single-storey dining room wing by
MacVicar Anderson attached to right, centre 3 bays break forward all in
similar style to main house. East side has C19 ironstone and slate roofed
service wings attached which have been modified in C20. Interior: The Wootton
Hall: Central south entrance hall, full height with coffered ceiling, moulded
frieze and cornice designed by Colen Campbell and carried out by Roger Morris
1773, four symmetrical entrances, 2 with pediments over, centre internal with
broken pediment supported on fluted Corinthian columns. Range of rooms to west
originally remodelled by H. Holland, commencing with South Drawing Room which
has fireplace, by Lancelot Wood 1802. Ceiling by Broadbent of Leicester 1865,
similar ceiling in Rubens Room adjacent to north with chimney piece by Holland
made by Deval. The long Library continues north forming a tripartite
apartment with screens of Ionic columns and Adam style ceiling. The Marlborough
Room occupying the western half of the north front has two fireplaces by John
Vardy in Greek revival style and carved by Scheemakers originally at Spencer
House in London. The Sunderland Room occupying the eastern half of the north
front has its original C17 cornice. 2 fireplaces are by John Vardy and James
Stuart respectively from Spencer House. The dining room wing to the north east
by MacVicar Anderson is a double cube with coffered ceiling. The small dining
room to the east of the Wootton Hall has C17 fireplace and panelling from
Wormleighton, a former Spencer house. The Blue Sitting Room at south east end
of the east wing has inset blue and white panels by Holland painted by
Pernotin transfered.to present location C19. The central courtyard, formed
into the saloon and staircase in 1650 has a wide straight flight stair with
2 intermediate landings and short branches to left and right to first floor
flanking galleries added by H. Holland. Large oak balusters and handrail.
Coffered ceiling with 3 roof lights by MacVicar Anderson. First floor rooms:
Chapel in east range has bolection moulded chimney piece by Joshua Marshall,
reset armorial glass in windows dated 1588. Range of rooms in north front
contain fireplaces by P.C. Hardwick 1850, Repton and Lancelot Wood, some reset.
Picture Gallery in western range is of C17 with restored bolection panelling.
Chimney piece by James Stuart from Spencer house. Two services stairs in east
range have late C17 balusters.
(Buildings of England : Northamptonshire, p.78; Raine Countess Spencer, A Short
History of Althorp and the Spencer Family 1982).

Listing NGR: SP6817865141

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Althorp at Wikipedia
• Althorp official website
• Wikidata Q441079

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)