“A lot of work has gone into the telling of Delapré’s story through the centuries.
The staff in particular was knowledgeable and friendly. We’re so pleased we have discovered Delapré!”
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Delapré Abbey is yours to explore
Book your tickets today to explore 900 years of exciting and turbulent history.
Plan your visit
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“The grounds were great for the dog to have a run and we enjoyed tea and cake on the terrace afterwards. The house was fascinating. I particularly enjoyed the battlefield exhibition and the insight into the life of a medieval nun.”
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“The tour guides Alan and De were both incredible, knowing about 500 years of history off by heart. After grabbing lunch in the Orangery we decided to join the second tour in the afternoon. Delapré Abbey provided us with a great day and we will definitely recommend this attraction.”
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Events
june

Event Details
Thu 25th May - Sat 29th July, various times and locations Free, booking required Sessions will last a maximum of 2 hours This Grief Thing is a project that invites people to think,
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Event Details
Thu 25th May – Sat 29th July, various times and locations
Free, booking required
Sessions will last a maximum of 2 hours
This Grief Thing is a project that invites people to think, talk and learn about grief. We’re living at a time when many people find death and grief – our own grief or other people’s – almost impossible to talk about. We don’t know what to say, what to do, or how to act. So we stay silent, we pretend that grief doesn’t exist, or we hide it. This Grief Thing pushes against this, by opening up conversations about grief and making it visible.
As part of our wellbeing programme we are pleased to be working with Fevered Sleep who have created Grief Gatherings. They’re small, free group conversations about grief and they’re open to all. They’re for people who have experienced grief, and for people who haven’t. This will be an inclusive space. Any age, gender, race, faith welcome.
We’ll share thoughts, feelings, ideas and experiences. If you don’t wish to talk that’s fine, people are welcome to just be present.
This project is a partnership between Delapré Abbey and Fevered Sleep and is funded by Northamptonshire Community Foundation.
Dates and Locations
Thu 25th May, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham
Mon 5th June, 6:30-8:30pm, Saints Coffee
This Grief Thing host: David Bowden
Thu 15th June, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham
Sat 24th June, 2-4pm, Delapré Abbey
This Grief Thing host: Lisa Lovett
Mon 10th July, 6:30pm-8:30pm, Saints Coffee
This Grief Thing host: David Bowden
Thu 13th July, 2-4pm, Umbrella Fair
This Grief Thing host: Laura Graham
Sat 29th July, 2-4pm, Delapré Abbey
This Grief Thing host: Lisa Lovett
How to get to each location
Saints Coffee: 62 St Giles’ St, Northampton NN1 1JW (map)
Umbrella Fair: Racecourse Pavilion, Kettering Rd, Northampton NN1 4LG (map)
Delapré Abbey (this session will be held in our Library): London Road, Northampton, NN4 8AW (map)
Meet the hosts
Laura Graham
Laura Graham is a freelance writer and content creator based in Northampton. In 2009 she lost her mum to breast cancer, a loss that changed her life and taught her about the complexities of grief. She went on to work for a local charity on a project to support people coming towards the end of life. She believes that grief is the last taboo and hopes that grief gatherings will enable participants to feel connected and seen by their community.
David Bowden
Dave Bowden – A.K.A Word Guerrilla – is a poet and performer. Utilising beatboxing, live looping and multi-instrumentalism, he delivers Word Guerrilla’s unique brand of spoken word poetry performances and workshops to a variety of different educational settings, workplaces and events across the country. As an educator and creative facilitator, he seeks to generate creativity in people through writing, empowering them with language and words.
He believes that grief is ever- present, and like bits of glitter: long after you think it has gone, it continues to turn up everywhere, often unexpectedly. It can be challenging to make sense of grief and adapt to it. Dave wants to facilitate grief gatherings to help others understand the experience, giving them a space to articulate how they think and feel about the process of grieving and help others adapt to the experience of grief.
Time
May 25 (Thursday) - July 13 (Thursday)
Buy here
Book Tickets
Event Details
Sunday 28th May – Sunday 29th October 11am-4pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays Entry included in the price of general admission (£8 adults, under 18s free) “The walled garden was magical… the absolute
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Event Details
Sunday 28th May – Sunday 29th October
11am-4pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
Entry included in the price of general admission (£8 adults, under 18s free)
“The walled garden was magical… the absolute treasure.” Councillor David Smith
This exhibition explores the vast history of Delapré Abbey’s gardens and tells the stories of those who have worked here over the centuries to make beautiful outdoor spaces for the house owners and, subsequently, for the general public to enjoy.
There have been gardens here since the opening of the nunnery in 1145. On Saturday 19th July 1952, Delapré Abbey’s gardens opened to the public and have continued to be a place open for all to enjoy. As Alderman J.V. Collier said upon their opening 71 years ago: “The gardens offer a haven of rest away from the milling crowds. Within almost a stone’s throw of the centre of the town, we have something unique.”
Timed to coincide with the centenary year of Delapré Abbey’s water garden, the exhibition captures and celebrates the local communities’ memories of Delapré through photos, text, ephemera and oral history.
Whether you enjoyed the walled garden as a child, have attended a wedding here, or discovered the grounds during one of the Covid-19 lockdowns, we want this exhibition to encourage visitors to tell their friends and loved ones about any existing memories they have made here while making new ones together.
Photo: John Pettitt
Time
May 28 (Sunday) 11:00 am - October 29 (Sunday) 4:00 am
Buy here
Book Tickets
Event Details
6 week course every Wed, 7th June - 12th July 10am – 11am £51 per parent & 1 child, £15 per additional child (cold drink included) Ideal for families with children aged between
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Event Details
6 week course every Wed, 7th June – 12th July
10am – 11am
£51 per parent & 1 child, £15 per additional child (cold drink included)
Ideal for families with children aged between 2-5 years.
Places are limited, book early to avoid disappointment.
Outdoor creative movement sessions, for grown-ups and their children, with BareFooted.
These creative movement sessions give families the opportunity to move, explore, play and be creative together, through use of fun child led activities and a variety of props. Taking place outside in nature in the beautiful Delapré Abbey gardens, they make space for curiosity and discovery and bring therapeutic benefits that nature connectivity offers us all.
A chance for you and your child to have some fun bonding time, whilst being physically active and an opportunity for social time with other families after the session when you can enjoy a cold drink on the lawn.
To find out more about BareFooted:
Visit www.barefooted.co.uk
Email lucy@barefooted.co.uk
Time
June 7 (Wednesday) 10:00 am - July 12 (Wednesday) 11:00 am
Buy here
Book Tickets
Event Details
Thursday 8th June, 1-4pm Free Walled Garden, no need to pre-book, just drop-in Our garden volunteers will be on hand to share their work on the herb garden and the links to the
Event Details
Thursday 8th June, 1-4pm
Free
Walled Garden, no need to pre-book, just drop-in
Our garden volunteers will be on hand to share their work on the herb garden and the links to the nuns who lived here during medieval times. Find out about the plants they’ve been collecting and why the beds have been laid out as they are.
Illustration: AR Media
Time
(Thursday) 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The History of Delapré Abbey
Once there was a meadow, close to the River Nene and outside the medieval walls of Northampton. 900 years ago, a community of nuns came to these quiet meadows to create their nunnery – the Abbey of St. Mary de la Pré. Following the rules of the Cluniac order, these nuns formed one of only two Cluniac Nunneries in medieval England, and owed their allegiance to the great Abbey of Cluny in France. Find our more about our history on our Explore page.
