For the third year running, we will be asking all visitors to donate an item of food to Northampton Hope Centre and Food Aid Far Cotton to help tackle poverty this Christmas.
From Saturday 26th November, Delapré Abbey will be transformed into a sumptuous Christmas Fair. For two weekends visitors can pick up handmade and unique gifts from a wide variety of local stallholders selling everything from candles and jewellery to cakes. The Fair, which has sold out for the past two years, will take place inside the Abbey’s historic rooms which will be decorated for the season and include a giant 18ft Christmas tree.
Richard Clinton, Chief Executive, Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust, said: “This year it seemed more relevant than ever to continue to support Northampton Hope Centre and Food Aid Far Cotton through our Christmas Fair. The generosity of our visitors to the Fair with food donations over the past two years has been humbling, and we’re pleased to be able to facilitate this. We look forward to welcoming our talented stallholders and the public to the Abbey once more this Christmas”.
Alongside the Fair, we’re running a programme of festive activities for everyone in the family to take part in, including a Winter Light Trail, tours of the historic house by candlelight, wreath making workshops, and a Santa’s Grotto.
The varied programme of festive activities includes:
- Candlelit Tours
Wed 30th November, Thu 1st, Wed 7th, Thu 8th, Sun 11th, Tue 13th, Thu 15th, Sun 18th, Tue 20th, Wed 21st and Thu 22nd December
Tours at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. £15 per person including mince pies and mulled wine.Experience the Abbey by candlelight on this wonderfully festive, special out-of-hours tour. Hear about the Abbey’s history and its people whilst exploring the nooks and crannies of this spectacular building.
Book tickets - Santa’s Grotto
Sun 11th, Sat 17th, Sun 18th, Mon 19th, Tue 20th, Wed 21st, Thu 22nd and Fri 23rd December
9:30am-4pm, £8 per child / £5 with an annual passMeet Father Christmas at the Abbey and ask him what you’d like for Christmas. Receive a present lovingly wrapped by his team of elves and hear a Christmas story.
Book tickets - Winter Light Trail
Fri 18th November – Mon 2nd JanuaryThe Winter Light Trail returns with a new and longer trail. Step into a magical woodland trail taking you round the grounds of the Abbey and the Walled Garden. Relax after the trail and book a chalet with a drink and some food from local independent vendors and the Après Ski Bar. Visit winterlighttrail.co.uk for more information and to book tickets.
Book tickets - A Christmas Carol
Fri 9th & Sat 10th December, 7:30pm
Adults £15, Children £12. Price including mince pies, mulled wine and a seasonal drink for children.Be delighted as the Cratchits have a very merry Christmas and watch on as Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. This classic festive story will be performed by some of Northampton’s finest actors accompanied by a Magic Lantern and slides from both the Victorian era and the twenty-first century.
Book tickets - Wreath Making
Mon 5th & Tue 6th December
10am & 2pm, £20 per session including tea/coffee and festive refreshmentsIn these workshops, you will learn how to make your own wreath from scratch using Buff Willow and materials foraged from the grounds of Delapré Abbey.
Book tickets
Delapré Abbey’s Christmas Fair takes place from 10am-4pm on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th November, plus the following weekend on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th December. Entry is £1 plus a donation of an item of food. Tickets for the Fair can be booked here. Space is limited so pre-booking is advised to avoid disappointment.
