Monument record 1697 - Abington Park (Pre C20th Country Estate)

William Thursby bought Abington Abbey in 1669 and was responsible for enlarging the park. A map of 1671 shows the estate shortly afterwards and depicts the manor house and village set around a staggered crossroads. Thursby subsequently began emparking the area of the village. This started with the enlargement of the existing park and lawn eastwards. The construction of the Water Tower and Archway Cottages date from this period of enlargement. Archway Cottages appear to have been designed as a formal entrance into the village. After 1736, the heir of Thursby further enlarged and landscaped the park removing the village entirely. A map of 1742 shows that it had been finished by this date. By the early 19th century the park had been extended southwards and a new approach road, bypassing Archway Cottages, had been constructed from the Wellingborough Road.

{1} The Bernards held the manor from 1415 until 1669 and they erected the manor house. It is likely they laid out the small walled park and garden containing a group of fishponds to the east of the manor house. Before Bridges wrote in 1720s William Thursby had begun emparking area of village. This initially involved enlargement of 'The Parke' and 'The Lawnd' [depicted in the map of 1671 {38}] eastwards across the valley. In 1736 the manor passed to John Harvey who between 1736 and 1742 greatly enlarged and landscaped the parkland thus removing the remainder of the village. The park had been extended to the north, west and east to an area of c.38 hectares. There was further late C18th expansion to the south but this was largely built over in the early C20th. The original road running north from the village is still visible as a defined hollow-way [as is part of the 19th-century approach road].

{2} Process of emparkment complete. There are useful depictions of lost landscape elements such as tree avenues and clumps, a small structural feature standing at eastern end of group of formal ornamental ponds. Semi-circular in plan, it possibly represents a small exedra or alcove for statue. In 1742 the main entrance to the manor is via Archway Cottages retaining the main route through the former village.

{3} Further extension of park southwards as far as Billing Road is shown; 1798.

{4} William Thursby bought Abington in 1669 and was responsible for enlarging the park. Further alterations to the parkland took place in the mid C18th when in order to improve the setting of the house John Harvey removed the northwards running road to the east of the house.

{5} Lady Wantage presented the Abbey together with about 20 acres of land to Northampton Corporation. The Corporation then purchased an additional 4 acres comprising parkland and threw it open to public in 1897. Further land was acquired in 1903 making a total of c.116 acres.

{6} Pre-Holly Walk and the shrubbery. Shows trees as fenced. Photo c.1900 shows the gate between church and Abbey. Pre davidia etc. Also shows possible ha ha.

{7} Identifies a row of sweet chestnuts which predates the public park; other details of planting.

{8} Known for many years as The Abbey together with its grounds is now the property of Northampton Corporation and devoted to a museum and public park. It never had any religious function. The Bernard family owned the property in C16th. In 1669 they sold it to William Thursby. From 1838 the house and grounds were leased to Dr Pritchard for the purpose of a hospital for the insane. Its use as an asylum continued after 1841 when it was sold to the banker Lewis Lloyd. The hospital closed in 1892 and eventually devolved upon Lady Wantage who made a gift of the property to the Corporation. Fig 91: illustration by George Clarke.

{9} View of house and church which includes little detail of the parkland.

{10} Plan of ground forming Abington Park.

{11} Plan of ground forming Abington Park.

{13} Landscape appears largely unchanged from 1798 mapping.

{14} Owner J.H.Thursby Esq.

{15} Estate remained with Bernard family for upwards of 200 years. It was purchased by William Thursby in 1671 whose nephew, also William Thursby, is the present owner. "….here is a good manor-house with a park adjoining it….".

{17} By the mid C19th the park appears to have extended as far south as the Billing Road.

{18} The Lordship was enclosed by private agreement in 1659. The mansion is situated in a walled park of about 80 acres; the grounds present some agreeable home scenery.

{19} Map clearly shows extension of parkland southwards along part of broad avenue from house and a new approach road to the manor house from Wellingborough Road. Otherwise largely unchanged.

{38} Area to north-east of village marked "The Lawnde";

{39} Former road across parkland [following the park boundary as depicted in 1742]. T.C. Welsh speculates as to date of origin of the road. The road is shown on a plan of 1840, 'but is clearly older'. On 1671 plan the Wellingborough Road is shown circuiting the north side of the park and no road is shown on the southern boundary (the detour of approx 400 metres on north-west alignment must have been due to emparkment). Possible that the road may have been a route through former Abington village and Weston Favell village. Possible Roman origin for road - being on an alignment from Abington Square along first part of Wellingborough Road through the park to Weston Favell - would appear to be on direct line to Roman town at Irchester.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.210-11 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> 1742, Abington Estate Map, (checked) (Map). SNN41652.

<3> 1798, Abington Map (NRO 470), (checked) (Map). SNN41653.

<4> Heward J.; Taylor R., 1996, The Country Houses of Northamptonshire, p.48 (checked) (Book). SNN41757.

<5> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.65-69 (checked) (Series). SNN100371.

<6> c1900, Photograph of Abington Park, (unchecked) (Photographs). SNN48704.

<7> Burt J., 1994, Photograph of Abington Park, (unchecked) (Notes). SNN47259.

<8> Gotch J.A., 1939, Squires' Homes and Other Old Buildings of Northamptonshire, p.34-5 (checked) (Book). SNN39616.

<9> Clarke G., 1850, Abington Abbey, (checked) (Drawing). SNN47202.

<10> 1822, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN47117.

<11> 1822, T(A)22, (unchecked) (Document). SNN47118.

<12> 1841, Map of Abington (NRO Map 329), (unchecked) (Map). SNN54911.

<13> 1850, MAP, (checked) (Map). SNN47119.

<14> Eyre T. (Revised by Jefferys T.), 1779, Map of the County of Northamptonshire, (checked) (Map). SNN1852.

<15> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.401 (checked) (Book). SNN77325.

<16> Pevsner N.; Cherry B., 1973, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p.344 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1320.

<18> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.7 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<19> Bryant A., 1827, Map of The County of Northampton, (checked) (Map). SNN2733.

<20> Ordnance Survey, 1887, First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 Inch Mapping Series (45.06), (unchecked) (Map). SNN58994.

<21> 1840, Map of Abington (NRO Map T(a)73), (unchecked) (Map). SNN59007.

<22> 1841, Sale Catalogue, (unchecked) (Map). SNN59009.

<23> 1840, Sale Cataologue, (unchecked) (Map). SNN59010.

<24> 1840, Abington Tithe Map (NRO Map T12), (unchecked) (Map). SNN54912.

<25> 1890, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN59011.

<26> Thursby Collection, (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN54364.

<27> MICROFILM 305, C.35/43-58 (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN54365.

<28> Evans J., 1813, The Beauties of England and Wales (Northamptonshire), (unchecked) (Book). SNN44614.

<29> Adkinson A.L., 1960, Parks in Northampton, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN45446.

<30> 1990, Letter & Plans, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN45447.

<31> Morton J., 1712, The Natural History of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN10113.

<32> Evans, 1850?, Views of Country Houses, 149 (unchecked) (Document). SNN54677.

<33> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.7 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<34> Brown A.E., 2001, Abington Park, Earthworks, (unchecked) (Plan). SNN101343.

<35> Ordnance Survey, 1950, Ordnance Survey 1950s Mapping Series (SP76), (part checked) (Map). SNN54695.

<36> Mowl T.; Hickman C., 2008, The Historic Gardens of England: Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Series). SNN106082.

<37> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 Inch Mapping Series (45.10), (UNCHECKED) (Map). SNN106019.

<38> Grant V., 1671, Map of Abington (NRO Map 4524) (Map). SNN41646.

<39> Welsh T.C., 1997, Old Road, Abington Park, Northampton, (checked) (Notes). SNN44615.

Record last edited

Apr 30 2025 9:51AM