The Spencers

[tatty]

Commissioned in 1756 for the 1st Earl Spencer, Spencer House was for many years the London home of the Spencer Family. For the most part of the past 100 years the house has been leased out, with Earl Spencer still owning the freehold.

Spencer House - The map below shows Spencer House on St James's Place, just streets away from St James's Palace and across Green Park from Buckingham Palace



The entrance front on St James's Place





The garden front from Green Park

The photo below shows the canopy over the large terrace.







Former Prime Ministers host a dinner for the Queen at Spencer House



Rania arrives to host a reciprocal State Dinner at Spencer House

[tatty]

Ground Floor



1 - The Morning Room



2 - Hall and Stairs







3 - Ante Room



4 - Library





5 - Dining Room





6 - Palm Room

[tatty]

First Floor



12 - Music Room



13 - Lady Spencer's Room





14 - Great Room









15 - Painted Room

[tatty]

I'll be posting info and photos on Althorp in a few days - just can't be bothered doing it right now 

[TLLK]

These are wonderful photos. Considering how expensive it is for the Spencers to keep Althorp going I can see why they are leasing their London town home

[bumbershoot]

Just a little pied a terre in the city. . . . .

What I find interesting is that a lot of the light fixtures, including those odd standards, look like they were converted from gaslight. Not a lot of modernization has ever occurred here, I suspect. I'd be curious about the below-stairs part and wonder if it's ever been updated with modcons.

[editorathome]

Many thanks for the fab photos, Tatty I'm really fascinated by the great London aristocratic "palaces," most of which, sadly, have been destroyed. I actually find them a lot more interesting than the "country piles."

Keep up the great work!

[Cloaked]

These are a beautiful find, Tatty.  Thank you for posting! 
I adore the decor and the floor plan really gives an insight into the way people lived in these huge houses.  I especially love the wall colours and the light fittings.  Each room has a special feel. 
I wonder how cold it was when all the heating was provided from open fireplaces?
The bedrooms must be over the Morning Room and Entrance Hall.

It's very Upstairs Downstairs-ish! 
The servants had nifty little rooms up stairs and the downstairs would have been a hive of activity with all the domestic workings of a large household.  It would be really interesting to see how the kitchens, laundry, wine cellar etc were set up.  I wonder if it had a stable for the horses? ..or a vegetable garden?

I am very much enjoying these photos of old buildings that you post, Tatty. 

[Fragrance78]

Wow!! The rooms are gorgeous 
Thanks Tatty! 

[Lady Alice]

I've read the biographies on the Spencers here and there, but now I understand how this earl and that one could go broke outfitting these places, let alone maintaining them. Spencer House alone... holy cow! Althorp must have broken (and still does break) the earldom's figurative back.

[DowntownTO]

Thanks for the beautiful pics and floor plans, tatty  . I am enjoying them thoroughly.

[esther angeline]

Tatty girl, you rock !        

[Dangereuse]

Thank you for the pics 

[christina01]

I saw a doco about Althorp and the days they open it so people can view Diana's resting place, and it was losing money, until the Earl had an offer from Japan asking that the entire collection of Diana's things be taken there lock stock and barrel for public viewing. It made a lot of money and was a success, but I wonder if it is still happening 

[Bunnyluv]

 
 
Tatty, thank you for posting such great pictures, very insightful on day's bye life style.
I personally like room with high ceiling.