Work has begun on the restoration of a long-neglected 19th-century cottage at Delapré Abbey, marking the start of an ambitious partnership between the heritage site and Northampton College.
The project forms part of a wider, multi-million-pound transformation of the Abbey’s historic stables, supported by the Lottery Heritage Fund, which will see the area reimagined as a vibrant mixed-use hub with spaces for retail, events and wellbeing.
Students from Northampton College are taking the lead on bringing Gardener’s Cottage Number 2 back to life, offering them a rare opportunity to gain hands-on experience in heritage construction. Before stepping on site, they worked with the Health and Safety Executive to prepare detailed plans for the regeneration.
Amanda Nicols-Polinska, Deputy Chief Executive of Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust, said: “This partnership will create a lasting legacy for our community and equip students with skills they can carry into their future careers. We hope it will become a model for other historic sites and colleges around the country.”
Throughout the restoration, students will be supported by the College’s Construction lecturers as well as a number of industry specialists, including Harlestone Restoration Ltd, Metcalf Commercial Decorators and Castle Climate Control. The scheme began this week with T Level surveying students setting up the site ahead of the main construction phase.
Apprentices and students will restore original doors and sash windows, undertake brickwork and repointing, modernise the electrics and plumbing, and carry out decorating and hard landscaping in the cottage garden.
Once complete, the cottage will provide offices for psychology and therapy services.
Mark Bradshaw, Northampton College’s curriculum manager for Construction, said: “Delapré Abbey is a nationally significant site, and the opportunity for our students to take on a full restoration of this kind is unprecedented. They will gain vital heritage construction skills that are increasingly sought after across the UK. Most construction students never get the chance to work on older buildings, so this puts ours firmly ahead of the curve. We are incredibly grateful to Delapré Abbey, and to the industry experts giving their time and expertise to support our learners. Particular thanks go to Ian Metcalf, of Metcalf Commercial Decorators, whose involvement has been essential in making this project possible.”
Amanda added her thanks: “We’re deeply appreciative of Northampton College and Metcalf Commercial Decorators for their generosity and commitment. This innovative project not only offers invaluable practical experience but has the potential to inspire similar collaborations at heritage sites nationwide.”
The cottage restoration is the latest collaboration between Northampton College and Delapré Abbey. Performing Arts students have contributed to events at the venue, and others have helped restore the area surrounding Sir Frank Dobson’s much-loved Woman With A Fish statue in the walled garden.
To find out more about Delapré Abbey, visit https://delapreabbey.org/.
