Learning at
Delapré Abbey

For over 900 years the site of Delapré Abbey has occupied an important place in the local, regional and national story. The restoration and reopening of the building means that everyone can enjoy these stories for the first time.

Schools programme

We are very pleased to announce our new school experience programme for 2023/24.

Full or half day experiences are now available and sessions can be tailored to meet your learning objectives and individual class requirements. These experiences can either complement your school’s existing units of work or we can provide you with a term’s plan for a Local History Study, including cross curricular suggestions, based on your visit to Delapré Abbey.

Key Stage One

Aimed primarily at Key Stage One pupils, we currently offer A House Through Time experience.

Bring your class along to Delapré Abbey where they will be able to discover why 900 year old Delapre Abbey is such a significant historical place in their local area. The children will become time travellers! They will be transformed into nuns to discover what life was like for the first occupants of the house, visit the kitchen of the Tate family who lived in the house next and finally, they will meet Mrs Bouverie to discover how this rich family lived in the house in Victorian times.

This experience will enable the pupils to:
- recognise that Delapré Abbey is the oldest house in the local area and, as well as being significant historically, it is still important now
- develop their understanding of chronology
- identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods
- ask and answer questions about life in the past
- have fun!
Aimed primarily at Key Stage Two pupils, we currently offer two experiences.

Our World War Two experience links to a significant event that happened right here at Delapré Abbey.

On the 26th April 1945, something scary happened here in the grounds of Delapré Abbey, a Royal Air Force Lancaster Bomber plane crashed! It was witnessed by a young girl called Violet Richardson who lived on the Delapré estate. Violet’s dad, Harry, was working in a nearby field with a man called Albert Brown from Far Cotton and they rushed to see if they could help.

Bring your class along to Delapré Abbey where they will be able to use a variety of sources to discover the answers to the following questions:
- What significant local event happened on 26th April 1945?
- What can you find out about the type of plane that crashed?
- What can you discover about the crew?
- Why did the plane crash?
- Who were the heroes and villains of this event?
Our Battle of Northampton experience will introduce the children to an event in our local history that was of national importance and significance.

Did you know that on 10th July 1460 a full scale battle between knights and soldiers took place right here at Delapré Abbey? Cannons were used here for the very first time in a battle on English soil! Many men died and the King of England was captured and brought into the Abbey to say his prayers……What a shock it must have been for the nuns living a very quiet life in the Abbey at the time.

Bring your class along to Delapré Abbey and they will be able to walk on the actual battlefield and stand where the King of England stood! Using a variety of sources and artefacts, they will be able to discover the answers to the following questions:
- Who lived in Delapré Abbey in 1460
- What was life like for our nuns?
- Who arrived to disturb their peace
- Why had the two armies come to Delapré Abbey?
- What did the soldiers wear for protection?
- How did the commanders know what was happening in the thick of battle?
- Who won?
- What caused the defeated side to lose?
Get in touch

To begin your booking, please email our Head of Engagement and Interpretation, Eleanor Sier on eleanor.sier@delapreabbey.org and she will be pleased to contact you to discuss your individual needs.
Dedicated and flexible learning facility

Our Coach House has been transformed into a dedicated and flexible learning facility which can be used for taught sessions or as a multi-purpose space or lunch room.

Get involved?

We’ll be working with a range of learning providers to develop a broad range of packages and resources.

“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!”
“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.”
“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.”