Altencelle is part of the borough of Celle in Lower Saxony and lies southeast of the town centre, west of the River Aller and east of the Fuhse.

The village was first mentioned in the records in 986 as Kellu ("settlement by the river").

At that time there was a castle (Burg) there belonging to the Brunonen family.

Duke Otto the Strict left Altencelle in 1292 and founded the "new" Celle about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northwest near another existing castle.

The chairman of the village council (Ortsbürgermeister) is Otto Stumpf (CDU).