A farmhouse on the estate of the former family home of Diana, Princess of Wales has been “burnt down by vandals”, her brother said.
Earl Spencer said he was “stunned” to learn that a farmhouse was burned down on the Althorp Estate in West Northamptonshire overnight, and added it was unoccupied at the time.
He posted two images on social media with the message, one of the building on fire and another in daylight showing the gutted farmhouse.
Firefighters were called to the scene in Mill Lane, Kingsthorpe, at about 1.30am on Wednesday and found a derelict two-storey property fully on fire, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said.
Earl Spencer posted on X saying: “Stunned to learn that one of @AlthorpHouse’s farmhouses – fortunately, unoccupied at the time – was apparently burnt down by vandals last night.
Stunned to learn that one of @AlthorpHouse’s farmhouses - fortunately, unoccupied at the time - was apparently burnt down by vandals last night. With thanks to @northantsfire for doing their very best.
— Charles Spencer (@cspencer1508) May 28, 2025
So very sad that anyone would think this a fun thing to do. pic.twitter.com/lYyvkzJLnA
“With thanks to @northantsfire for doing their very best.
“So very sad that anyone would think this a fun thing to do.”
Photos and videos showing the farmhouse being razed to the ground after the blaze were shared on social media by Althorp Estate’s conservation manager.
A spokesman for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at around 1.30am this morning to reports of a fire on Mill Lane in Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
“Crews arrived to find a derelict two-storey property fully on fire.
“At the height of the fire, four crews from across the service wearing breathing apparatus used hose-reel jets to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further.
“One crew remained on the scene into this afternoon with a water bowser to continue dampening down any remaining hotspots, and then returned to their station shortly before 1pm.”
Northamptonshire Police said the fire is believed to have been started deliberately, but the exact cause is yet to be determined.
The force is appealing for anyone who saw any activity near the farmhouse before the fire started to call 101 or Firestoppers anonymously on 0800 169 5558, quoting incident number 25000308579.
