Althorp
The Spencer family home in Northamptonshire, open on summer days, with state rooms, an art collection and the memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Spencer family bought the Althorp estate in 1508, using wealth earned from sheep farming, and has held it ever since. The present house dates from 1688, when Robert Spencer replaced an older building that Charles I had once visited. From 1788 the architect Henry Holland altered it extensively, covering the brick walls with mathematical tiles and adding Corinthian pilasters to the front. In 1877 a great dining room was added in the east wing.
Over the centuries the family gathered a major collection of paintings, furniture, ceramics and books. It includes works by Van Dyck, Rubens and Reynolds, and the 2nd Earl Spencer assembled one of the largest private libraries in Europe, although much of it was sold in 1892. Diana, Princess of Wales, grew up at Althorp. After her death in 1997 she was buried on an island in the lake known as the Round Oval, which visitors can see on a walk through the grounds.
The 7th Earl first opened the house to the public in 1953. The estate is still the private home of the Spencer family, led today by Charles Spencer, Earl Spencer, and is open to visitors only in a short summer season.
Highlights
- One-way route through the state rooms of the house
- Collection of paintings and furniture, including works by Van Dyck, Rubens and Reynolds
- Walk in the grounds to the Princess of Wales Memorial on the island in the Round Oval
- Stables block of 1733 with a café and gift shop
- Picnic area overlooking the deer park
Permanent exhibition
- The house and state rooms – A one-way route through the historic rooms of the Spencer family home, with their paintings, furniture and ceramics.
- Founded
- 1953
- Operated by
- Althorp Estate
Admission & discounts
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · One carer can enter free of charge when accompanying a visitor with disabilities; proof of carer status is required at the ticket desk. |
|---|---|
| Groups (12+ people) | –Group bookings must be made and paid for online at least two weeks before the visit. Ticket categories are adult, concession, child and infant. Groups of 12 or more tickets in one booking receive 10% off; the coach driver and coach leader enter free. |
Ticket prices for the 2026 season are not shown on the website. Day tickets can be bought online or at the West Gate ticket office, and no timed slot is needed. Members of Historic Houses can book a member ticket and show their membership card at the gate. National Trust membership and Blue Light discounts are not accepted. Tickets are not refundable but can be exchanged for another date in the same season.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The walking route through the grounds is step-free, although parts are gravelled. Inside the house, wheelchair access is limited to the ground floor and the first floor cannot be reached. Visitors need to bring their own wheelchair or mobility scooter; none are lent, and there are no charging points. Free Blue Badge parking is inside the grounds, reached through the West Gate, with no booking needed. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are welcome.
Kids & families
Prams, pushchairs and large bags cannot be taken into the house.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Northampton railway station
The nearest stations are Northampton, about 25 minutes away by taxi, and Long Buckby, about 10 minutes away by taxi, with regular trains from London Euston and Birmingham. The local bus does not stop at the visitor entrance, so the estate recommends a taxi. National Express coaches serve Northampton bus station.
By car
Free parking · 15-min walk to the entrance
Free visitor car park outside the West Gate entrance (NN7 4HQ); no booking needed. Blue Badge parking is inside the grounds through the West Gate. Coaches and minibuses use the East Gate on the A428 (NN7 4HE).
- Accessible parking
The walk from the West Gate car park to the house takes about 15 minutes and no shuttle is provided. what3words for the West Gate car park: fighters.crank.sailed. There are no electric vehicle charging points. Bicycles can be left in the visitor car park at the owner’s risk.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
The Stables Café and the gift shop are in the stables block. Visitors may picnic on the lawns around the house and in a picnic area overlooking the deer park, where tables and chairs are provided. Portable barbecues and camping stoves are not allowed.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | no |
|---|---|
| Photography | Photography is allowed in the grounds but not inside the house. Drones are not allowed. |
| Good to know | Visitors follow a one-way route through the house, with information boards and room attendants; guided tours are not offered. Prams, pushchairs, large bags and rucksacks cannot be taken into the house. Dogs are not allowed on the estate, except guide dogs and assistance dogs. |
