Althorp has been the home of the Spencers, the family of the late Princess Diana, for over 500 years. It is currently the home of Princess Diana’s brother, the 9th Earl of Spencer and also the site of the princess’s grave.
The family opened the home, which includes a lake and an island, and surrounded by a 550-acre walled park, more than 50 years ago. Long before Diana became the Princess of Wales, visitors could enjoy the elegant furniture and artwork collected by twenty generations of Spencers.
Today, most visitors to Althorp (pronounced Althrup by some, but actually a pretentious affectation these days ) come to see Diana’s childhood home, which can be visited via guided tours, booked in advance. The more than 500-year-old house has one of the best private collections of furniture, paintings and ceramics in Europe. Although a family home, Althorp has 90 rooms, only a few of which are open to the public.
Find out more about what you can expect to see at Althorp, including some very special paintings, here.
Althorp Visitor Essentials
- Address: Althorp, Northampton, NN7 4HQ
- Reservation contact: phone: +44 (0) 1604 770 107 or email: [email protected]
- Open Days: Althorp has a very limited season. The house is open in the summer with specific dates posted on the Althorp website each year. In 2018, the house and farm will be open from July 16 to August 24 and from August 27 to September 9.
- Additional Openings : Guided tours of the house are also available during the Althorp Food and Drink Festival, highlighting independent producers from Northamptonshire, on May 12 and 13, 2018. Only the gardens and seasonal exhibits are open during the Althorp Literary Festival, October 5-7, 2018.
- Hours: Doors open at noon and close at 5 pm. The last entry to the house is at 3 pm and to the compound at 4 pm.
- Admission: In 2018, adult tickets are £ 18.50 and children aged 5-16 are £ 11. Family tickets and concessions (discounted tickets) for seniors and students are also available. Children up to 4 years old are free. Tickets can be booked online any day, except the day of your visit, when they can be purchased at the door. But keep in mind that when the house is open on August 31, the anniversary of Princess Diana’s death (as it will be in 2018), tickets are in high demand so advance planning is necessary for that day.
- What You Get For Your Money: Admission price during the house’s opening season includes entry to the grounds, current exhibits, the Stables Café and Gift Shop, and entry to the State Rooms of home.
- Visit their website
- How to get to Althorp
- By car: Althorp is 7 miles west of Northampton on the A428. The signs are signposted from the M1 motorway (exit 16 northbound or exit 18 southbound). Travel time is approximately 1.5 hours from London, 2.5 hours from York and 1 hour from Stratford-Upon-Avon, Cambridge or Oxford.
- By Train: Althorp is 11 km from Northampton Station, which has a regular train service from London Euston. Bus and taxi services are available from Northampton Station.
A very special monument
Diana’s grave is on an island in the lake, known as The Round Oval. It is private and cannot be visited. A burial urn perched on a column at one end of the lake indicates that the island is a burial place.
However, visitors can gaze at the princess at the lakeside temple that is dedicated to her memory. The Temple was originally created by 2nd Earl Spencer to celebrate a naval victory over the French during the Battle of the Nile under Nelson. It remained in the gardens of Admiralty House in London until 1901, when it was bought by the 5th Earl and transported to Althorp.
The purchase price was just £ 3. In 1926, the Temple was moved to its current location. Visitors can view it as part of exploring the Althorp grounds.
