Iconic Northampton heritage sites team up to offer historic group tour and three-course lunch

Delapre Abbey (left) and 78 Derngate (right) are teaming up to offer the ultimate heritage group day out.

Two popular Northampton heritage attractions have announced a new partnership, offering a day out for history lovers with a three-course lunch and tour.

Groups of 12 or more are invited to explore the twists and turns of Delapré Abbey with its 900 years of history and 78 Derngate, the only house in England designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Chief executive of the Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust, Richard Clinton, said: “78 Derngate is a fantastic jewel in Northampton and we are delighted to be partnering with them.

“Collaborating with colleagues across Northamptonshire is a key priority to us here at Delapré as we strive to broaden access to heritage and culture for all.”

Groups can have a guided tour of Delapré Abbey and 78 Derngate with a three-course lunch in the historic abbey’s dining room for £40 per person. Tour organisers and carers are half price.

Groups can alternatively have a cream tea instead of the three-course lunch for £25 per person.

House manager at 78 Derngate, Liz Jansson, said: “It is with immense pleasure and satisfaction that we are able to offer visitors the chance to see both heritage sites on one lovely day out in Northampton, embracing two very different cultural highlights.”

Located one mile south of Northampton Town Centre, Delapré Abbey has an intriguing past for visitors to discover – from its origins as a Cluniac nunnery, heyday as a country house following Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, and its time as the county Record Office before the recent restoration.

The Abbey has witnessed key historic events including the 1460 Battle of Northampton, and as a resting place for Queen Eleanor’s funeral cortege.

With interiors designed and remodelled by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1916, 78 Derngate has been meticulously restored and opened to the public.

Commissioned by visionary patron, Northampton model maker and engineer W.J Bassett-Lowke, it is the only place in England where Mackintosh’s mature architectural and interior style can be seen in their original setting.

Visitors can discover this unique work from one of the world’s most influential and celebrated architects and designers up close.

To begin building your combined day at Delapré Abbey and 78 Derngate contact 01604 760817 or email [email protected].