Monument record 5003/1 - Delapre Abbey, medieval Cluniac Nunnery

The site of a medieval Cluniac nunnery, which was founded circa 1145 and was dissolved 1538 and subsequently partly incorporated into a 16th century and later house. In the late 19th century, medieval burials are thought to have been found during building works. Part of the original ecclesiastical building may survive in the north and east sides of the house, while excavations in 2015-8 during the renovation of the house have found demolished ranges to the west and east of the existing buildings

{1} Delapre Abbey was a house of Cluniac nuns founded by the Earl of Northampton Simon de Senlis II circa 1145. Little is known of its history and it was never a large or prosperous establishment. In 1530 only 11 nuns are recorded; it was dissolved in 1538 and by 1548 the site was bought by the Tate family.
Plan of existing building still retains form of medieval aisleless church and its claustral range to south; at least one stone coffin and apparently other burials and coffins were discovered in the early C17th during rebuilding on the site of the nun's choir. One of these coffins was rediscovered nearby in 1940 and reburied.

{2} De La Pre Abbey of Cluniac nuns was founded circa 1145. Its net income in 1535 was £119. There were 10 nuns about the time of suppression in 1538. The abbess and eight nuns were granted pensions. In 1542 the property was granted to John Marsh.

{3} De La Pre Abbey of Cluniac nuns was founded circa 1145. Its net income in 1535 was £119. There were 10 nuns about the time of suppression in 1538. The abbess and eight nuns were granted pensions.

{4} Cluniac Nunnery of Delapre Abbey also known as abbey of St Mary de Pratis according to confirmation charter of Edward III; founded by Simon de Liz the Younger in Stephen's reign circa 1145. The nunnery was originally placed at Fotheringhay; it retained endowment of the church until a college was established. The founder endowed the abbey with large possessions in Hardingstone; gross annual value according to Valor of 1535 was £126.16s.3d. And a clear value of £119.9s. 7d. Little is recorded of the history of the nunnery beyond entries relating to election or appointment of superiors. The condition of the house in the mid C15th was reported as satisfactory. In 1459-60 the Priory of Sewardsley was sanctioned to house due to lack of sufficient means. It was dissolved in 1538 and the site of the abbey and its demense lands were granted by the Crown on 12th February 1542 to John Marsh. During the reign of Elizabeth I it passed to the Tate family.

{5} No additonal details.

{6} Many who fell in the Battle of Northampton were buried at Delapre Abbey.

{7} Delapre Abbey was one of only two Cluniac nunneries in the country (the other at Arthington in Yorkshire). It was founded circa 1145 by the son of Simon de St Liz who also founded the Cluniac priory of St Andrew about 50 years beforehand. The nunnery was dissolved in 1538 and the house passed to the Tate family of London. The present house has four ranges round a square courtyard which may represent the cloister. The passage around the north, west and east sides is probably the cloister walk. No medieval features survive except possibly two rectangular recesses in the cloister walk which may have held lamps. Thick walls of north range of cloisters may represent wall of aisleless nunnery church. The jamb of a blocked window in the post medieval country house is suggested as belonging to nunnery church.

{8} Delapre Abbey was a Cluniac nunnery.

{10} Delapre Abbey was also known from medieval documents as St Mary de Pratis. It was founded circa 1145 by Simon de St Liz the Younger who was the second Norman Earl of Northampton. It was built and endowed during the reign of Stephen. The house of Cluniac Nuns was regularly visited by the Bishop of Lincoln. In 1258 special mention of wood for purposes of building the nuns' refectory is made. In 1435 it was visited by Bishop Gray of Lincoln and bound to "keep refectory" or dine hall everyday. The Bishop ordered the nuns to keep refectory four times a week; it was later noted that they only kept refectory three times a week. It had an annual income of £119 in 1535. There were 44 sisters in 1310. The house surrendered 16th December 1538 (deed in PRO). Six months after Dissolution in June 1539 a survey of the monastic property was made by officers of Court of Augmentations. Bells and lead were sold to grocer John Core in 1539. In 1542 the King granted the site and demesne lands of Delapre then valued at £19.0s.9d. To John Mershe of London.

{11} Delapre Abbey stood without the south gate of the town. It was founded in the reign of Stephen by Earl of Northampton Simon de St Liz the Second. The nuns were of the Cluniac order and it was also called St Mary de la Pre. It was endowed with the churches of Barton, Doddington and Fotheringhay and had land elsewhere. A 1535 survey valued its revenues at £119.9s.7d. The abbey escaped general suppression but was freely surrendered by the abbess Clemintissa Stokes who was given a generous pension and a quarter of the stock etc; other nuns were also pensioned including Dorothy Bernard of Abington. In 1543 the monastery was granted to John Mershe; no remains survive but the present mansion of the Bouveries is still called De La Pre Abbey.

{12} Delapre Abbey lay to the east of Cotton End; the Cluniac nunnery was also known as St Mary de Pratis. It was founded in the reign of Stephen by Earl of Northampton Simon de St Liz the Younger. Details of property ownership are given. It was dissolved in 1538 with revenues valued at £119; it was surrendered by abbess Clementissa Stokes who had governed for more than 30 years. The abbess was pensioned and given part of the stock of the house; eight other nuns were also pensioned.

{13} Details of bequests to the abbess and nuns of Delapre Abbey included Sir Henry Green in 1369, Sir Robert de la Legh in 1408, Henry Caysho in 1434 and Henry Stones in 1464; the latter "to be buried in our Lady chirche of Delapray….". Names abbess Johan Chese who governed from 1490-1504.

{14} Delapre Abbey was founded by Simon de St Liz/Senlis who was second Earl of Northampton who circa 1145 was granted by charter (in NRO) to build a monastery. The nunnery was endowed by Simon with lands in Hardingstone; in C13-14th there were about 20 nuns. The first abbess was Azelina. In 1538 the abbess was forced to agree to the Deed of Surrender and then executed in the chapter-house due to a breach of faith. At Dissolution lead was stripped from the roof and valued at £136.6s.8d. Along with three convent bells. The buildings and demesne lands were let to a tenent in 1539; exchanged to the Crown for other lands with John Mershe of London. In 1546 the property was sold to the Tate family. More details of its architectural history are given. 100 years after its foundation considerable repairs and rebuilding was undertaken; the king gave grants of timber from neighbouring forests between 1232-1258. None or few remains of abbey survive above ground.

The buildings of the abbey were in the Romanesque style of the period and included a chapter-house, refectory and dormitory, church and cloister. The east range of the abbey was 20ft wide X 90ft long with the ground floor possibly containing the chapter-house and a first floor dormitory. In 1232 10 beams were given by the king for repairs to the church. In the C17th Zouch Tate built on the site of the chancel of the church and in doing so disturbed a vault. Empty stone coffins from the vault were found in front of the former laundry. The church was probably situated to the north of the cloisters considering finds of stone coffins made in 1895 to the north-east. The internal courtyard possibly represents the cloister court of the nunnery; circa 67ft square and with thick walls on the north-west and north and east and south sides containing a medieval core. The corridor round three sides of the court is on the site of the medieval cloister walks. The walls were rebuilt after the suppression. The cloisters had open arches. Two stone lanterns were built into corners and may be medieval in origin.

{15} Clemencia Stokes was abbess of St Mary de Pratis in 1510. St Mary de Pratis was also known as de la Prey in 1536. The abbey was surrendered to the king's use in 1538.

{17} A modern house stands on the site of the old convent of which there remains only some battlements at the west end and what is supposed to have been part of a chapel.

{19} Separate phases of excavation and observation during the restoration of Delapre Abbey between 2014-2019 revealed elements of the former medieval monastic buildings. A set-piece excavation undertaken prior to groundworks for a new kitchen revealed a probable medieval undercroft on the eastern range and observations of groundworks to the west of the current house identified substantial stone foundations that may be the remains of the monastic western range or buildings associated with an outer court, suchs as barns and stables or bakehouse, brewery etc. A few medieval elements were exposed during recording of the existing buildings.

The excavation immediately to the east of the existing building in advance of construction of a new kitchen block identified three ironstone walls of a rectangular, partly basemented/cellared building measuring at least 8.8m long x3.7m wide. Probably constructed in the 14th century and interpreted as an undercroft. At the north end of the excavated area, lying partially beneath the present cottages and centrally placed within the undercroft was a stone-built well, plastered on its outer surface. A 'ghost' of the well-shaft was visible in the gable of the cottage to first floor level. Against the plaster, up each of the walls and over the floor was thick blue-grey clay, effectively 'tanking' the interior of the room and possibly associated with bathing. A robbed out stair had been inserted over the clay 'tanking'. The evidence suggests that this range may have held either the Nuns' dormitory (dorter) or an infirmary at first floor level with a bath-house in the semi-basement beneath.

{21} In 2001 a society of Friends of Delapre Abbey was formed to prevent potential unspympathetic development. Their website contains a history of the site and a notice board of news and events concerning the abbey.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.291 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP75NE3 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<3> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, p.222 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10192.

<4> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.114-5 (checked) (Series). SNN100369.

<5> Williams J.H.; Shaw M.; Hardy S., 1978-1984, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Secondary Record Sheets, M21 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN108.

<6> Leland J., 1543, Itinerary, p.19-20 (unchecked) (Series). SNN13988.

<7> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.252-3 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<8> 1895, The Northampton Herald, (unchecked) (Article). SNN406.

<8> 1895, The Northampton Herald, 15/6/1895 (unchecked) (Article). SNN20105.

<9> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, Parish Files (unchecked) (Archive). SNN115.

<10> Serjeantson R.M., 1909, A History Of Delapre Abbey, Northampton, p.1-41 (checked) (Book). SNN474.

<11> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.118-19+265; Notes in NDC SMR File M21;; (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<12> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.137 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1032.

<13> Serjeantson R.M.; Longden Isham H., 1913, The Parish Churches & Religious Houses of Northamptonshire: Their Dedications, Altars etc., p.227-28 (unchecked); Copy in NDC SMR File M21; (Extract). SNN1080.

<14> Wake J.; Pantin W.A., 1958, Delapre Abbey, Its History and Architecture, p.225-241 (unchecked) (Article). SNN597.

<15> 1509-1532, Letters & Papers of Henry VIII (LPFD 1-30, Vols.1-13), (unchecked) (Document). SNN1036.

<16> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, p.270 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10192.

<17> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.365-66 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<18> Richards, R., 2000, Analysis on Ancient and Sacred Ground: Evidence Obtained Through Prehistoric Records, (unchecked) (Document). SNN106794.

<19> Soden, I and Prentice, J. with a contribution by Meadows, I, 2019, Archaeological monitoring, excavation, building recording and analysis at Delapre Abbey, Northampton 2014-19, p. 17-37 (Report). SNN111408.

<20> Soden, I, 2014, Archaeologically monitored test pits dug at Delapre Abbey, Northampton, March-April 2014 (Report). SNN113761.

<21> Friends of Delapre Abbey, 2005, The Friends of Delapre Abbey, [Accessed 16-AUG-2006] (Website). SNN115652.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:28PM