Europe, British Isles, South-Central England, Northamptonshire, Daventry, Althorp House [Map]
Althorp House, Northamptonshire is in Althorp.
On 04 May 1549 Alice Spencer Countess Derby was born to John Spencer (age 25) and Katherine Kitson (age 25) at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
On 29 Jun 1552 Elizabeth Spencer Baroness Hunsdon and Eure was born to John Spencer (age 28) and Katherine Kitson (age 28) at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
Around 1570 Robert Spencer 1st Baron Spencer was born to John Spencer (age 21) and Mary Catlyn at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
Before 24 Aug 1588 Mary Spencer was born to Robert Spencer 1st Baron Spencer (age 18) and Margaret Willoughby (age 21) at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
On or before 04 Jan 1591 William Spencer 2nd Baron Spencer was born to Robert Spencer 1st Baron Spencer (age 21) and Margaret Willoughby (age 24) at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map]. He was baptised on 04 Jan 1591 at Brington, Northamptonshire.
On 25 Jun 1603 the Ben Johnson (age 31) Masque The Entertainment at Althorp was performed at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map] to welcome the new Royal Family on their journey from Edinburgh to London following the death of Queen Elizabeth. The performance was attended by Anne of Denmark Queen Consort Scotland England and Ireland (age 28) and her son Henry Frederick Stewart Prince of Wales (age 9).
Diary of Anne Clifford 1603. 26 Jun 1603. The next day we went along with the Queen (age 28) to Althorpe [Map]1 Lord Spencer’s (age 33) house, where my Mother saw my cousin Henry Clifford (age 12)2, my uncle’s (age 44) son, which was the first time we ever saw him.
Note 1. Here Ben Jonson’s Masque of the Fairies was performed. ED.
The Queen and Prince came to Althorpe the 25th of June, on Saturday; my mother, Aunt Warwick and I not till the next day, which Sunday was kept with great solemnity, there being an infinite number of lords and ladies. There we saw the Queen’s favour to Lady Hatton (age 22) and Lady Cecil, for she shewed no favour to the elderly ladies, but to Lady Rich and such like company.
Note 2. Afterwards 5th and last Earl of Cumberland.
Before 23 Nov 1620 Henry Spencer 1st Earl of Sunderland was born to William Spencer 2nd Baron Spencer (age 29) and Penelope Wriothesley Baroness Spencer Wormleighton (age 22) at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
Before 02 Feb 1629 Robert Spencer 1st Viscount Teviot was born to William Spencer 2nd Baron Spencer (age 38) and Penelope Wriothesley Baroness Spencer Wormleighton (age 30) at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
Evelyn's Diary. 14 Jul 1675. I went to see my Lord Sunderland's (age 33) Seat at Althorpe [Map], four miles from the ragged town of Northampton [Map] (since burned, and well rebuilt). It is placed in a pretty open bottom, very finely watered and flanked with stately woods and groves in a park, with a canal, but the water is not running, which is a defect. The house, a kind of modern building, of freestone, within most nobly furnished; the apartments very commodious, a gallery and noble hall; but the kitchen being in the body of the house, and chapel too small, were defects. There is an old yet honorable gatehouse standing awry, and out-housing mean, but designed to be taken away. It was moated round, after the old manner, but it is now dry, and turfed with a beautiful carpet. Above all, are admirable and magnificent the several ample gardens furnished with the choicest fruit, and exquisitely kept. Great plenty of oranges, and other curiosities. The park full of fowl, especially herons, and from it a prospect to Holmby House, which being demolished in the late civil wars, shows like a Roman ruin shaded by the trees about it, a stately, solemn, and pleasing view.
Evelyn's Diary. 23 Jan 1678. Dined with the Duke of Norfolk (age 49), being the first time I had seen him since the death of his elder brother, who died at Padua in Italy, where he had resided above thirty years. The Duke had now newly declared his marriage to his concubine (age 35), whom he promised me he never would marry. I went with him to see the Duke of Buckingham (age 49), thence to my Lord Sunderland (age 36), now Secretary of State, to show him that rare piece of Vosterman's (son of old Vosterman), which was a view, or landscape of my Lord's palace, etc., at Althorpe [Map] in Northamptonshire.
Evelyn's Diary. 15 Aug 1688. I went to Althorpe [Map], in Northamptonshire, seventy miles. A coach and four horses took up me and my son at Whitehall, and carried us to Dunstable [Map], where we arrived and dined at noon, and from thence another coach and six horses carried us to Althorpe [Map], four miles beyond Northampton, where we arrived by seven o'clock that evening. Both these coaches were hired for me by that noble Countess of Sunderland (age 42), who invited me to her house at Althorpe, where she entertained me and my son with very extraordinary kindness; I stayed till the Thursday.
Evelyn's Diary. 18 Aug 1688. The house, or rather palace, at Althorpe [Map], is a noble uniform pile in form of a half H, built of brick and freestone, balustered and à la moderne; the hall is well, the staircase excellent; the rooms of state, galleries, offices and furniture, such as may become a great prince. It is situated in the midst of a garden, exquisitely planted and kept, and all this in a park walled in with hewn stone, planted with rows and walks of trees, canals and fish ponds, and stored with game. And, what is above all this, governed by a lady (age 42), who without any show of solicitude, keeps everything in such admirable order, both within and without, from the garret to the cellar, that I do not believe there is any in this nation, or in any other, that exceeds her in such exact order, without ostentation, but substantially great and noble. The meanest servant is lodged so neat and cleanly; the service at the several tables, the good order and decency-in a word, the entire economy is perfectly becoming a wise and noble person. She is one who for her distinguished esteem of me from a long and worthy friendship, I must ever honor and celebrate. I wish from my soul the Lord (age 46), her husband (whose parts and abilities are otherwise conspicuous), was as worthy of her, as by a fatal apostasy and court-ambition he has made himself unworthy! This is what she deplores, and it renders her as much affliction as a lady of great soul and much prudence is capable of. The Countess of Bristol (age 68), her mother, a grave and honorable lady, has the comfort of seeing her daughter and grandchildren under the same economy, especially Mr. Charles Spencer (age 13), a youth of extraordinary hopes, very learned for his age, and ingenious, and under a Governor of great worth. Happy were it, could as much be said of the elder brother, the Lord Spencer, who, rambling about the world, dishonors both his name and his family, adding sorrow to sorrow to a mother, who has taken all imaginable care of his education. There is a daughter (age 17) very young married to the Earl of Clancarty (age 20), who has a great and fair estate in Ireland, but who yet gives no great presage of worth,-so universally contaminated is the youth of this corrupt and abandoned age! But this is again recompensed by my Lord Arran (age 30), a sober and worthy gentleman, who has espoused the Lady Ann Spencer (age 21), a young lady of admirable accomplishments and virtue.
Evelyn's Diary. 18 Aug 1688. My lady (age 42) carried us to see Lord Northampton's (age 23) Seat, a very strong, large house, built with stone, not altogether modern. They were enlarging the garden, in which was nothing extraordinary, except the iron gate opening into the park, which indeed was very good work, wrought in flowers painted with blue and gilded. There is a noble walk of elms toward the front of the house by the bowling green. I was not in any room of the house besides a lobby looking into the garden, where my Lord and his new Countess (age 19) (Sir Stephen Fox's (age 61) daughter, whom I had known from a child) entertained the Countess and her daughter the Countess of Arran (age 21) (newly married to the son (age 30) of the Duke of Hamilton (age 53)), with so little good grace, and so dully, that our visit was very short, and so we returned to Althorpe [Map], twelve miles distant.
Evelyn's Diary. 11 Jul 1689. The Countess of Sunderland (age 43) afterward told me that it extended as far as Althorpe [Map] at the very time, which is seventy miles from London. It did no harm at Deptford [Map], but at Greenwich [Map] it did much mischief.
Evelyn's Diary. 12 Oct 1690. The French General, with Tyrconnel (age 60) and their forces, gone back to France, beaten out by King William. Cork [Map] delivered on discretion. The Duke of Grafton (deceased) was there mortally wounded and dies. Very great storms of wind. The 8th of this month Lord Spencer (age 49) wrote me word from Althorpe [Map], that there happened an earthquake the day before in the morning, which, though short, sensibly shook the house. The "Gazette" acquainted us that the like happened at the same time, half-past seven, at Barnstaple, Devon, Holyhead, Anglesey, and Dublin [Map]. We were not sensible of it here.
Evelyn's Diary. 13 Nov 1695. Famous fireworks and very chargeable, the King (age 45) being returned from his progress. He stayed seven or eight days at Lord Sunderland's (age 54) at Althorpe [Map], where he was mightily entertained. These fireworks were shown before Lord Romney (age 54), Master of the Ordnance, in St. James's great square, where the King stood.
On 28 Sep 1702 Robert Spencer 2nd Earl of Sunderland (age 61) died at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map]. His son Charles Spencer 3rd Earl of Sunderland (age 27) succeeded 3rd Earl of Sunderland, 5th Baron Spencer Wormleighton. Anne Churchill Countess Sunderland (age 19) by marriage Countess of Sunderland.
On 19 Dec 1734 John Spencer 1st Earl Spencer was born to John Spencer (age 26) and Georgiana Caroline Carteret (age 18) at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
On 20 Dec 1755 John Spencer 1st Earl Spencer (age 21) and Margaret Georgiana Poyntz Countess Spencer (age 18) were married at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map]. He the son of John Spencer and Georgiana Caroline Carteret (age 39).
On 07 Jun 1757 Georgiana Spencer Duchess Devonshire was born to John Spencer 1st Earl Spencer (age 22) and Margaret Georgiana Poyntz Countess Spencer (age 20) at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
1911. Unknown Photographer. Albert Edward John Spencer 7th Earl Spencer (age 18) on his horse "Maybury" in front of Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].
On 31 Aug 1997 Diana Spencer Princess Wales (age 36) died at Pitié-Salpetrière Hospital. She was buried at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map].