Countess Spencer of Althorp House

Duchess

Episode Description :

In our final episode of season 2, the Duchess of Rutland meets Karen, Countess Spencer of the historic Althorp. In this episode, we are introduce to the many extraordinary women of the Spencer family. Lady Spencer regales us the some of the ghostly activity she and her family have experienced at Althorp, and Karen and the Duchess discuss their shared love of cows!

Top Quotes:

"It takes a long time to understand these houses. I think the danger in a place like this, is to come in and change things without taking the time to really understand the history that came before it, and the more I learn the more reverence I have." - Lady Spencer

"Some of these places are very old fashioned and some of the people working in them are very old fashioned. So it took a bit of rejigging to make sure we had the right team that were prepared for a modern working couple who make decisions together." - Lady Spencer

"Being in heritage has taught me patience." - Lady Spencer

"Understanding why a home is built the way it is, is so key because then you get under the skin of it. Then it's no longer your ego dictating what you do - the house almost talks to you with its own voice." - Emma Rutland

About the Guest and Stately Home:

Karen, Countess Spencer is a Canadian social entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Whole Child International, a U.S - based non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works to improve the quality of care for vulnerable children. In June 2011, Karen married Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer at Althorp.

Althorp is a 13,000-acre stately home in Northamptonshire, that has been the seat of the Spencer family since 1508. Althorp House is Grade I listed, consisting of 90 rooms, which house one of England’s finest art collections, including Van Dyck's War and Peace, a John de Critz portrait of King James I and works by Lely. The grounds of Althorp contain 28 listed buildings and structures, including nine planting stones. In 1788, the house was refaced by Henry Holland, replacing the 16th century red brick with Weldon stone, and adding Corinthian pilasters to the front of the house. Andre Le Notre, the landscape designer responsible for Versailles & Vaux le Vicomte, also designed the gardens at Althorp. One of Althorp’s most impressive features, is the 115-foot picture gallery, which retains the original Tudor wood panelling.

About the House:

Emma, Duchess of Rutland, grew up far away from the world of the aristocracy. Born Emma Watkins, the Duchess grew up the daughter of a Quaker farmer, in the Welsh countryside. She trained as an opera singer in the Guildhall School of Music, and worked as a successful interior designer before meeting her future husband David Manners, the 11th Duke of Rutland, at a dinner party. Their marriage in 1992 thrust Emma into a new world, which included the responsibility of preserving one of the nation's greatest stately homes: Belvoir Castle. While simultaneously running the day to day operations of the castle, and raising five children, the Duchess became fascinated with the history and importance of the other stately homes of the UK. Join Emma as she embarks on a wonderful journey through time, to learn more about the incredible homes that have defined Great Britain and, most importantly, meet the other extraordinary women who work tirelessly in the background, to preserve their homes history and magic for future generations.

Sources:

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