If you’ve ever wandered around Delapré Abbey and thought, “This is peaceful,” it’s worth remembering that 566 years ago it was anything but.
Long before coffee mornings, weddings and family days out, the fields surrounding the Abbey were the setting for one of the most important battles in English history. Now, Delapré Abbey is inviting visitors to travel back in time as it marks the 566th anniversary of the Battle of Northampton with a packed heritage day on Saturday 4 July.
The battle itself actually took place on 10 July 1460, during the Wars of the Roses, when Yorkist forces secured a decisive victory and captured King Henry VI. Safe to say, it was a fairly eventful day.
Rather than simply reading about it in a history book, visitors will have the chance to experience the story where it actually happened.
Throughout the day, experts from the Northamptonshire Battlefields Society will be leading regular battlefield tours between 10am and 4pm, explaining how the fighting unfolded across the landscape and why the battle proved to be such a turning point in English history.
If you’ve ever wanted to ask someone about medieval weapons (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t at least once?), society members will also be on hand in the Abbey’s Library with historical equipment displays and plenty of knowledge to share. Best of all, those activities are completely free.
Inside the Abbey, the Battlefield Room will be open from 11am until 3pm, where interactive displays tell the remarkable story of the conflict. This year there’s also something rather special making its debut – an original cannonball fired during the Battle of Northampton itself. That’s not something you see every day.
For visitors who prefer getting hands-on, the Housekeeper’s Room will be home to a volunteer-created tabletop game inspired by the popular Never Mind the Billhooks gaming system. Players can recreate key moments from the battle, test their tactical thinking and discover just how difficult commanding a medieval army might have been. (Spoiler alert: considerably harder than moving pieces around your dining table.)
Battlefield tours and the historical equipment displays are free to enjoy, while entry to the Battlefield Room and tabletop game is included with house admission. Tickets cost £5 for one parent and one child, while annual pass holders and Historic House members can enjoy free entry.
Whether you’re a history enthusiast, looking for a family day out, or simply fancy discovering a fascinating chapter of Northampton’s past, Delapré Abbey’s heritage day promises to bring one of the town’s defining moments vividly back to life.
For more information, visit delapreabbey.org.
