900 years of history
Delapré Abbey’s History & Story
The grounds and buildings of Delapré Abbey boast an extraordinary history, spanning nearly 900 years, beginning with its founding by the 2nd Earl of Northampton, Simon de Senlis II, as the Abbey of St Mary de la Pré. Over the centuries, Delapré has witnessed a wealth of historically significant events. It has hosted royal visitors, played pivotal roles in two major English wars, and been the site of dramatic episodes including plane crashes, illicit affairs, scandalous gossip, and eventual financial ruin. The abbey’s storied past is filled with intrigue and unforgettable moments, each adding another layer to its remarkable legacy.
Delapré Abbey Nunnery (1145-1538)
Founded in 1145, the Abbey of St Marie De la Pré, was initially the only nunnery in Northampton and they followed the Cluniac form of the Benedictine order. Cluniac nunneries were a contemplative order paying much respect to prayers and singing masses. A document from the year 1310 states that 44 nuns lived in the convent at that time. Based on the size of the Abbey buildings it is likely that the average number of nuns was closer to 20. Once a woman entered the order they were only allowed to venture out of the Abbey on church business. The members were known to be from local noble families and had to be literate. In fact we know they wrote a book of their history called The Delapré Chronicles which sadly only now exists in two fragments, but they have been translated.
Within the cloisters little would have changed over the almost four centuries but in the outside world dramatic events happened
Although they were not rich, the nunnery still had a part to play in medieval England.
In 1290, Eleanor of Castile, wife of King Edward I, died at Harby near Lincoln. Her body was embalmed and taken on a 12 day journey to Westminster to be buried in state in the Abbey. On the journey she was accompanied by her grieving King. The route passed through Northampton and her body rested overnight in the abbey church under the vigil of Abbess Margery de Wollaston. In the following year Edward I, still full of grief, had stone crosses erected at every stop of her journey. The Queen Eleanor’s Cross is based at the top of London Road and is one of only three original crosses remaining across the country.
Next, coming through Europe from the East, the Black Death swept through the whole county in 1349 killing half of the country’s population in its wake. We believe that the nuns also suffered and the Abbess of the time Katherine Knyvet died at the peak of the outbreak.
Many years later, a violent event would disturb the nunnery’s quiet life – the Battle of Northampton on 10th July 1460. In July 1460, the armies of York and Lancaster met across the fields near the Abbey in what was to be one of the turning points in the Wars of the Roses. Descendants of Edward III had split into Yorkist (Emblem of the white rose) and Lancastrian (Emblem of the red rose) branches of the family.
Lancastrian King Henry VI was an ineffective ruler and possibly schizophrenic. His cousin Richard of York, exiled in Ireland, challenged the King’s government to provide better administration and justice for all by replacing the King’s advisors with Yorkist followers. On behalf of the King, the Earl of Buckingham refused to even negotiate. This resulted in a battle across the nuns’ lands. The bloody battle only lasted a few hours but most of the Lancastrian nobility was killed and the King was captured.
After the battle, the nuns once again welcomed royalty into their Abbey as the King was allowed to hear mass in their church before being taken as prisoner to London.
The nuns would have prayed for the dead, but as an enclosed order Abbess Gonora Doughton and her sisters would not have been permitted to treat the wounded or bury the dead themselves.
By the time of the reign of King Henry VIII, numbers had gone down considerably. Abbess Clemencia Stock oversaw only a handful of nuns but despite this she managed to run the convent successfully. The dissolution of monastic houses the started in 1536. At first, Abbess Clemencia managed to buy them an extension of stay. However, only 2 years later on 16th December 1538, after nearly 400 years of quiet devotion, Delapré Abbey came to an end. Henry VIII laid waste to the churches and monasteries of Britain, evicting nuns and monks, taking their goods and possessions for himself and selling their lands to merchants and gentlemen. Despite this, Abbess Clemencia managed to negotiate a good pension for herself and something if not quite as much for the sisters.
These women, dedicating their lives to nearly 400 years of devotion have earned our profound respect and we remember them with affection.
Tates (1546-1764)
With the dissolution of the Abbey of St Mary de la Pré and the departure of its nuns, a new chapter in Delapré Abbey’s history began. No longer a place of religious devotion, the estate transformed into the private residence of the influential Tate family, who would call it home for over 200 years. During this time, they not only reshaped the landscape by removing much of the abbey’s remains but also constructed much of the architecture still visible today, leaving a lasting imprint on Delapré’s physical and historical legacy.
The Tate family played a prominent role in Northamptonshire’s civic and political life, holding esteemed positions such as county sheriffs and Members of Parliament for Northampton. Known for their staunch Protestant faith, the Tates were deeply involved in the turbulent religious and political events of the 17th century. One notable moment in the family’s history occurred during the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when William Tate I was appointed to search the properties of suspected Catholic sympathizers, helping to thwart the conspiracy against King James I.
Their loyalty to the Crown, however, would later be tested during the English Civil War, when England was torn between royalist and parliamentary forces. The Tates sided with Parliament, becoming ardent supporters of the parliamentary cause. Zouch Tate, owner of Delapre, played a significant role in the Civil War. He helped aid the formation of the New Model Army and his evidence aided in convicting the monarch of treason, leading to Charles’ historic execution in 1649—the first and only time an English king was beheaded. A huge social, political and religious event in our history.
The last member of the family to reside at the estate was Mary Tate, who married Admiral Charles Hardy, a distinguished naval officer. After her death Charles sold the estate to the Bouverie family in 1764.
Visitors can delve deeper into the fascinating history of the Tate family, including their role in shaping the future of Delapré Abbey, in our Medieval Zone. Explore the legacies they left behind, from their political intrigue to their architectural contributions, as we uncover the captivating story of one of Northamptonshire’s influential families.
Bouverie’s (1764-1954)
The estate was purchased from the Tate’s in 1764 by the Bouverie family. A Huguenot family who had gained wealth, the house was sold to the second eldest son Edward, for the sum of £22,000, with the family seat remaining at Longford Castle. He was wed to Harriet Faulkner in 1764, due to her social connections and the two were very high players in society. Their marriage however was one of convenience and affairs followed, particularly with one Robert Spencer from Althorp.
The affairs and controversies did not stop with Edward and Harriet. Generations later, the family was once again embroiled in scandal when John Augustus Sheil Bouverie became entangled in a bitter inheritance dispute. His uncle, Everard Bouverie, challenged John’s claim to the estate, suspecting that John was the product of an extramarital affair and therefore illegitimate. This legal battle, played out in the media, added another layer of complexity to the Bouverie legacy.
Requisitioned by the war office during WW2, a recent discovery was the crashing of a Lancaster Bomber around Delapre Lake in 1945, and you can still see the remains of Platoon B on one of the bedroom doors, a reminder of the estate’s wartime role.
The Delapre Bouverie’s fell into financial difficulties, during the 20th century and after the house was released by the war office after WW2, the last owner, Uthwatt Bouverie, sold it to the Northampton Corporation in 1954, ending 900 years as a form of home and sanctuary.
The Bouverie story is one of power, passion, and ultimately, downfall, but their legacy continues to echo through the halls of Delapré Abbey. Discover more about the fascinating Bouverie’s, including scandal, an original Battle of Waterloo sword and medal, mentions in Queen Victoria diaries, and the sad financial ruin of a prominent Northampton family in our Bouverie Zone.
1955-2006
Unwanted by all but the local council who purchased the house and its many acres of land in 1946… the start of what was to be a turbulent 70 years for Delapré Abbey. The first threat, as the Abbey began its new life in public hands, came in 1954 thanks to post-war austerity with a vote to demolish the house and all its outbuildings. It was only saved by the campaigning of the formidable Joan Wake, who was determined that the house should become the home of the new Northamptonshire Record Office.
The success of Miss Wake, who opened the Northamptonshire Record Office at Delapré Abbey in 1959, kept the building safe for nearly 40 years. People could, at last, enjoy the gardens and parkland, hidden for so long behind private stone walls and high gates, so Delapré Abbey’s place at the heart of the local community was secured.
Sadly, as the end of the millennium approached, the Record Office moved out to new premises and Delapré Abbey was once again under threat. The building lacked a clear purpose and needed extensive and expensive repairs.
It was the determination of the local people that would help save the Abbey this time, with the Friends of Delapré Abbey campaigning to restore the building to create a venue that could be enjoyed by all. The Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust was formed, working together with Northampton Borough Council, plans were made and with the Heritage Lottery Fund’s help, a major restoration project began that would see the house transformed and brought back to life.
In 2018, after extensive restoration works, this much-loved building was finally opened for everyone to enjoy.
Our Restoration
At the turn of the millennium, Delapré Abbey was a building without a purpose and a building “at risk”. It was in real need of extensive repairs to ensure the future survival of this Grade II* listed building.
Recognising the importance of Delapré Abbey as the town’s key heritage project, Northampton Borough Council worked closely with the Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust (DAPT) and the Friends of Delapré Abbey (FoDA) to help develop plans to safeguard the Abbey’s future. Hoping to bring substantial parts of it into public use as an events space and visitor asset, whilst ensuring the building was conserved, securing the historic fabric and structure of the Abbey was of the utmost importance.
The award of a £3.65 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant in 2013 meant that the first phase of these ambitious restoration and regeneration plans could begin.
Phase One
This first phase of works took almost 4 years to complete starting with detailed design work and planning during 2014 whilst extensive roofing works (funded separately by Historic England) were carried out. Several specialists undertook paint analysis, infrastructure work, and archaeological investigations at the Abbey and the results of these works helped provide the architects and planners with a better understanding of how the Abbey developed over the centuries. It also informed what and how the restoration and conservation work took place.
Since 2018, new discoveries on Delapre’s past have been constantly discovered. These include the discovery of a medieval cellar, which has now been preserved beneath the new kitchen, and a plunge pool – perhaps one of the most unusual elements of the building discovered so far. In fact, following the discovery of several Roman artifacts in 2015, it is now known that the Abbey’s history stretches back up to a century longer than previously thought. With the building continually being developed, and new exhibitions running, you will be able to discover more of its history with each visit.
Phase Two
The next phase for Delapre is the 19th Century Stable project, which you can discover more about here.
With over 900 years of history, Delapré Abbey offers something for everyone. Whether you’re a history enthusiast or simply exploring the grounds, there’s always more to discover. Feel free to ask our knowledgeable volunteers and staff members for insights or join one of our free guided tours to uncover the rich tapestry of stories that make Delapré so captivating. From intriguing historical figures to pivotal moments in British history, there’s a wealth of fascinating information waiting to be explored.
