Where the 500 year old story of Althorp and the Spencer Family continues
Where the 500 year old story of Althorp and the Spencer Family continues

Where the 500 year old story of Althorp and the Spencer Family continues

Welcome to Spencer1508, the official channel of the Spencer Family of Althorp. Watch as we share the estate like never before, all while working to preserve and protect it for future generations.

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LATEST EPISODE: The Mysteries of Althorp's Roman Villa

LATEST EPISODE: The Mysteries of Althorp's Roman Villa

As the exploration of the Roman Villa at Althorp continues, the archaeologists are learning more about those who once lived there.


The Roman artefacts that Adey has discovered; the underfloor heating that Dr. Siân Thomas has identified; the chunks of imported wine vessels that Dr Cat Jarman has catalogued - all are important clues as to how the Romans lived at Althorp, more than 1,600 years ago.

ALTHORP'S WALLED GARDEN

SPENCER FAMILY HISTORY

INSIDE ALTHORP

SPENCER FARMS

ALTHORP RESTORATIONS

ADEY'S ALTHORP

ALTHORP'S ROMAN VILLA

ALL SPENCER1508 EPISODES

FROM THE BEGINNING

New to Spencer1508? Click here watch all of our episodes from the very beginning.

SHARING ALTHORP

A new adventure begins here at Althorp, as we share more about the projects and history we care so deeply about.

PUTTING THINGS BACK

Part of our passion in caring for Althorp is seeing that the estate's history is preserved for future generations.

FARMING FUTURE

We’ve made the bold decision here at Althorp to go “cold turkey” and end the use pesticides, herbicides and fungicides on our land

SOIL GENIUS

A visit from Nicole Masters, one of the experts guiding our transition into regenerative farming.

PORCELAIN PUZZLE

Althorp's basement is filled with 500 years of treasures. Unfortunately, some have been damaged over the centuries.

THE WALLED GARDEN

Althorp was once home to one of the grandest walled gardens in all of England.

IN SERVICE TO ALTHORP

Chris Leeson worked at Althorp for 25 years, but his family's connection to the estate stretches back over 500 years.

SUSAN CAMPBELL

Author and historian Susan Campbell, the world's expert on walled gardens, makes her first visit to Althorp.

THE SPENCER TOMBS

A visit to the 500 year old Spencer family chapel at the church of St Mary in Great Brington.

SHORTHORNS RETURNS

Shorthorn cattle have a long history at Althorp that dates back over 200 years.

CHRISTMAS AT ALTHORP

The holidays are a busy time at Althorp, as everyone on the estate pitches in to deck the halls.

THE MUNIMENT ROOM

Explore Althorp's Muniment Room, home to 500 years of Spencer family history.

THE SPENCER CLOCKS

We set out to get all of Althorp's clocks ticking again.

FORESTER RETURNS

John Richardson worked as a forester at Althorp for 45 years, beginning in 1963.

PRINCE OF WALES BEDROOM

One of the most dramatic and memorable rooms at Althorp is the Prince of Wales bedroom.

THE SPENCER SILVER

Silversmith Tim Gibbs visits the estate in the hopes that he can rescue some long forgotten pieces of Spencer silver.

ORCHARD HISTORIAN

Orchardist and historian Martin Hayes visits the walled garden to share his nearly 50 years of experience and knowledge.

BELOW ALTHORP

Not for the faint of heart, Althorp's cellar is home to some of the oldest parts of the house and at least one creature living down below.

COUNTESS SPENCER NEEDLEWORK

A set of needlepoint sofas and chairs created by the Countess Spencer and her friends have been in the Spencer family for over 230 years.

SPENCER FLOWERS

Arranging flowers at Althorp is no small task -- sometimes it takes more than 80 arrangements to prepare the house for a big weekend.

SAVING THE SOIL

It’s a magical mixture that could be the secret weapon in Althorp’s transition into regenerative farming.

SPENCER WALKING STICKS

A rare collection of walking sticks and canes that have been in Spencer hands for generations are steeped in history.

ADEY'S ALTHORP

Adey Greeno has dedicated more than three decades of service to the estate, most recently as Conservation Manager, working to preserve and protect Althorp for future generations.

LUCKY & MINTY

How two orphaned lambs became adopted members of the Spencer Family.

FAMILY FOUNDER

How Sir John Spencer built Althorp as one of England's most successful sheep farmers.

SPENCER FAMILY DOGS

From loyal companions to life-saving heroes, the dogs of Althorp have been an integral part of the family’s history.

LOST ROMAN VILLA

Archeologists unearth the secrets of a forgotten Roman Villa, built more than 1000 years before the Spencer Family settled at Althorp.

FORGOTTEN TRAIN STATION

It was once the most visited train station for the world's royalty and heads of state. So how did Althorp Park completely vanish?

SPRING AT ALTHORP

This year the season holds a special significance as we embark on an exciting new chapter of self-sufficiency, cultivating our very own spring flowers after many years.

SHEARING LUCKY & MINTY

The wool flies as Karen’s beloved orphan sheep, Lucky and Minty, receive their annual spring makeover.

WALLED GARDEN UPDATE

Karen shares an update on the restoration of Althorp's 17th century walled garden.

FORGOTTEN PHOTOGRAPHS

Several boxes of newly discovered plate glass negatives are shedding new light on a beloved but tragic member of the Spencer Family.

SILVER DISCOVERIES

Silversmith Tim Gibbs visits Althorp to help Karen explore and understand more forgotten pieces from the Spencer Family silver collection.

SPENCER VASES SAVED

A set of prized Meissen vases are painstakingly restored and rescued from Althorp's trash bin.

STAIRCASE CARPET

The grand staircase in Althorp’s saloon, built sometime in the 1660s, has outlived several of the carpets that have covered its steps. A few years ago, it was updated with a custom creation engineered to last at least a century.

FAMILY CRESTS & SEALS

From rare stained glass family crests dating back more than 500 years, to the tiny stamps used for sealing letters in wax, the Spencers have left their mark in countless ways over the centuries.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCESS
BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCESS

Our episodes take you inside Althorp like never before, unlocking the secrets of the Spencer Family's 500 year old home.

3 HOURS STREAMING, SO FAR
3 HOURS STREAMING, SO FAR

If you're new to Spencer1508, we hope you'll go back and watch all two hours of our continuing story, as we roll out new episodes each week.

NEW EPISODES EVERY FRIDAY
NEW EPISODES EVERY FRIDAY

Don't miss our next story! Check back with Spencer1508.com every Friday to catch the latest episode.