Photo: Delapre Abbey by Dave.Dunford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Delapré Abbey began life around 1145 as a Cluniac nunnery beside the River Nene, just south of Northampton.
The building visitors see today is a neo-classical mansion built around the remains of that monastery, set within gardens on the edge of the town.
Its parkland was the site of the Battle of Northampton in 1460, a decisive clash in the Wars of the Roses, and the battlefield is now officially registered.
The house is open to the public alongside a café, gardens and a 19th-century stable yard.
Read more on WikipediaHistory
The abbey was founded around 1145 as a house of nuns affiliated to the great Cluniac abbey in Burgundy, and it stood on land near the Nene for nearly four centuries as a religious community. After the dissolution of the monasteries it passed into private ownership and was gradually rebuilt as a country house, eventually taking the neo-classical form seen today. The property came into public stewardship in the mid-20th century and is now managed in partnership with the Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust.
Architecture
The mansion is built in the neo-classical style but incorporates fabric from the medieval monastery beneath its later remodelling, and it holds Grade II* listed status.
Worth knowing
The abbey's grounds saw the Battle of Northampton in 1460, one of the turning points of the Wars of the Roses, and the site is a registered battlefield.
Gardens & grounds
The grounds include a walled garden and parkland, with an Orangery café now operating alongside the historic gardens.
Facilities
Plan your visit
Nearest station: Northampton Rail Station (1.1 miles)
Nearby properties
St Peter's Church, Northampton
View St Peter's Church, Northampton on heritage mapSt Michael's Church, Upton
View St Michael's Church, Upton on heritage mapSt Peter and St Paul's Church, Preston Deanery
View St Peter and St Paul's Church, Preston Deanery on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Delapre Abbey there are 4 historic properties, including 3 churchs, across Churches Conservation Trust and Historic Houses sites.
Within 10 miles of Delapre Abbey there are 12 historic properties, including 7 historic houses and 5 churchs, across Historic Houses and Churches Conservation Trust sites.
Within 20 miles of Delapre Abbey there are 27 historic properties, including 13 historic houses, 9 churchs and 2 historic buildings, across Historic Houses, Churches Conservation Trust and National Trust sites.
Facts
A Cluniac nunnery turned neo-classical mansion, standing on the battlefield where the Wars of the Roses shifted in 1460.
- Type
- historic house
- Location
- Northamptonshire, England
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