Althorp House

The Midlands & the Marches


The ancestral home of the Spencer family, Althorp House – pronounced 'altrup' – is the final resting place of Diana, Princess of Wales, commemorated by a memorial. The outstanding art collection features works by Rubens, Gainsborough and Van Dyck. Profits go to charities supported by the Princess Diana Memorial Fund.

Althorp is off the A428, 5.5 miles northwest of Northampton, and is not served by public transport; a taxi costs around £20.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Midlands & the Marches attractions

1. Church of the Holy Sepulchre

4.87 MILES

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is one of the few surviving round churches in the country. It was founded when the first Earl of Northampton, Simon de…

2. All Saints' Church

5.08 MILES

Constructed after the 1675 fire, with an ornate barrel-vaulted ceiling and dark-wood organ and reredos, All Saints' Church owes an obvious debt to the…

3. St Peter's Church

5.11 MILES

West of the central Market Sq, St Peter's Church is a marvellous Norman edifice built in 1150 and adorned with ancient carvings. The sign on the door…

4. Guildhall

5.15 MILES

Built between 1861 and 1864, Northampton's landmark Guildhall is adorned with carvings and 14 statues of monarchs, local luminaries and patron saints,…

5. Northampton Museum & Art Gallery

5.18 MILES

The history of shoemaking and footwear fashions is covered at this century-and-a-half-old museum. It's closed for renovations until early 2020; check the…

6. Canal Museum

10.27 MILES

A converted corn mill houses the entertaining Canal Museum, which charts the history of the canal network and its bargemen, lock-keepers and pit workers…

7. William Webb Ellis Statue

13.12 MILES

A bronze-cast statue of William Webb Ellis stands outside the main Rugby School gates. It's the work of sculptor Graham Ibbeson who installed it here in…

8. Webb Ellis Rugby Football Museum

13.13 MILES

Intriguing exhibits at this little museum include the evolution of the ball and historic team photos from the Webb Ellis Cup (aka the Rugby World Cup). It…