8485 The South Drawing room was for a hundred yearsadining room and now serves as a reception room. It contains some splendidlyornate and important furniture, much of it French, acquired bythe First Earl Spencer for Spencer House in London. In this room are an outstanding collection of portrait paintings, predominately by Sir Joshua Reynords. Amongst these is a portrait, painted in 1786, of John Charles, Viscount Althorp. He became the Third EarlSpencer, co- founder of the Royal Agricultural Society, and he was also agreat politician. He was the Chancellor of the Exchequer and helped put through the Reform Bill. He had no heir, losing his wife in childbirth. This was one of the first rooms to be redecorated by Earl Spencer after he inherited Althorpin 1992. THE SOUTH DRAWING ROOM

8687 Detail of the Spencer crest on the table and accompa-nying chairs. A17th century English Country oak refectory dining table, the rectangular planked top supported on two rectangular section baluster carved columns with an inset oval of the Spencer crest, on sleigh feet joined by apegged stretcher. Inspired by the table in the Old Servants Hall. AL54012 92x40 x 30 in. 233 x 101 x 76 cm.