A Chronological History of Delapre Abbey
1145 – Abbey of St. Mary De la pre (St. Mary of the Meadow) is founded by Simon de Senlis (also known as Simon de St. Liz), the 2nd Earl of Northampton.
1290 – On 7th December, the body of Queen Eleanor (wife of King Edward I) spends a night at the Delapre Abbey on its way to Westminster Abbey in London.
1460 – On the 10th July the Battle of Northampton is fought on ground near the nunnery between the Yorkists and Lancastrians. The Lancastrian forces lose and Henry VI is held at the Abbey before being taken to London.
1538 – On 16 December the Abbey is forced to surrender to the Crown as a result of Henry VIII’s dissolution. It is rented by a tenant the following year.
c.1543 – The Estate is sold to London property speculator, John Mershe (also known as John March or Marsh) for £19 9d.
c.1548 – Delapre is bought by Anne Wadham. Anne’s first husband was Bartholomew Tate, by whom she had a son, also called Bartholomew, who takes ownership of Delapre.
1617 – Zouch Tate, son of Bartholomew Tate II, inherits the property from his father William and it remains in his possession until his death in 1651.
1749 – Having already been passed down through six generations of the Tate family, Mary Tate is the last in the line to acquire Delapre upon her marriage to Admiral Sir Charles Hardy. She dies just eighteen months later.
1756 – Hardy advertises for Delapre to be let; at this time he is Governor of New York and heavily involved in the Seven Years War.
1764 – On 29 May, Charles Hardy sells Delapre to Edward Bouverie for £22 000.
1791 – First written record as “Delapre Abbey” on Eyres 18th map of Northamptonshire.
1810 – Delapre is inherited by Edward Bouverie II who builds a new library with a bedroom and dressing room above sometime after.
1858 – Edward Bouverie II’s son, General Everard Bouverie inherits. He builds the present square-shaped main staircase which replaces the circular one built in the previous century.
1871/2 – John Augustus Sheil Bouverie inherits as the son of Francis Kenelm Bouverie, third son of Edward Bouverie II.
1893 – In June the Abbey suffers a serious fire which destroys the top two floors of the East Wing.
1894 – Delapre is inherited by John Augustus Sheil Bouverie II.
1895 – Stone coffins were found to the north-east of Abbey Cottage in the walled garden (this is possibly the site of the medieval graveyard).
1896 – As a result of financial difficulties, the Bouverie family rent out Delapre to a local boot and shoe manufacturer John Cooper. JASB, his mother Jane and his unmarried sister Mary move to Hardingstone.
1914 – Mary Bouverie, the last Bouverie to live at Delapre, returns to the property after residing at Hardingstone since her brother's death in 1905.
1940 – The War Office requistions Delapre Abbey. Mary Bouverie moves to Pond House in Duston.
1942 – Mary moves into specially prepared rooms in the stable block to fulfil her wish to die at Delapre. On 20 January 1943 Mary dies.
1946 – Mary’s nephew and heir, Major Uthwatt-Bouverie sells Delapre Abbey and its 586 acres of land to Northampton Corporation (predecessor to Northampton Borough Council) on 27 March, for £56,421.
1948 – Delapre is relinquished by the War Office, but then re-requisitioned by the Ministry of Works County War Agricultural Committee.
1953 – The Abbey is again relinquished, following which it is occupied for the next four years by Northampton Borough Council’s Estates Committee.
1954 –58 Delapre Abbey is threatened with demolition after Northampton Borough Council votes to demolish it. Joan Wake of Northampton Record Society sets up a public meeting and successfully campaigns to save the Abbey . On 10 November a 99-year lease is granted to Northamptonshire County Council to allow it to use the Abbey as the County Record Office and on 9 May 1959, the Record Office formally opens.
1968 – Delapre Abbey is listed at Grade II* on 9 December. The stable block, coach house, orangery, game larder and cottage are also listed on the same date, but at Grade II.
1990 – A decision is made to close the record office and relocate it. Closure takes place the following year and transfer to Wootton begins, with the new record office opening in 1992.
2001 – The Abbey once again comes under threat and a campaign group known as the Friends of Delapre Abbey is formed to safeguard its future.
2013 - Northampton Borough Council is sucessful in gaining a Heritage Lottery grant of £3.6 million as part of a £6.3 million project to restore the Abbey and open it to the public for the first time. Work starts in January 2014 and is due for completion in May 2016.
Find Out More
Community Archive
The Friends of Delapre Abbey are hoping to create an easily accessible archive of historical information about Delapre incluidng old photographs, oral recordings of people's memories and stories about the Abbey and copies of historical documents / research from other archives.
If anyone has information or materials that they would be happy for us to have a copy of to include in this archive or is interested in being involved in the historical research or work to create it we would love to hear from you.
A history of Delapre Abbey by local author Colin Spears is available from the Tea rooms for £8. All proceeds go towards the greenhouse restoration fund.