The Museum itself dates back to 1857.

With long standing and temporary exhibits, the Museum and Art Gallery is fascinating.  There are historic artefacts from thousands of years ago and from all around the World as well as locally.  The Soldier’s Story Gallery contains uniforms, weapons, equipment and medals from three Regiments based in the area.  These regiments served all around the World and during both World Wars.

The highlights of the gallery are the two Ancient Egyptian mummies given to the museum by Joseph Strutt, the former Mayor of Derby. The Mummies have been on display at the museum since it opened in 1879.

A house demolished and rebuilt 4 times

Originally built as a deer park in the 13th century the house would have initially been built around an enclosed courtyard.
The house has been demolished and rebuilt a total of 4 times however the courtyard area has remained unchanged.

The Herrick family owned this property as a family residence for 350 years but in 1939 the building was taken over by the Ministry of Defence and worked as a sub listening station to Bletchley Park.

The History of Abington Manor

If you love history then you will love this location.

The Manor House would have been at the centre of the village listed in the Domesday Book.

The name Abington is Saxon and probably means Ab’s farm and was definitely a settlement at the time of Domesday.

The manor house we see today was built in the 15th Century and was home to Shakespeare’s last remaining relative, his granddaughter Elizabeth Bernard who is buried at the church not far away.

In 1669, vast parts of the original Manor House were demolished to make way for a larger, more lavish extension, retaining of course, the Great Hall and Oak Room.

In 1845, Abington Manor was sold to a Londoner who leased out the Manor to Dr Octavius Pritchard who used the property as a mental asylum. It remained as an asylum until 1892. Conditions in the asylum are not believed to have been overly cruel or unpleasant, however it has been reported that during this time two patients hung themselves. The property further exchanged hands in 1897 when it was given to the people of Northampton. It has remained as a museum until present day.

The History of Selly Manor

Records for Selly Manor date back to 1476.  During this time, a gentleman named Willian Jenette owned the land and leased this house out to a local farmer.

In 1561,  John Setterford, his wife Phylis, and her son William Pritchett  leased the house. This family prospered and eventually were able to purchase the house.

The Setterford family owned and lived in this house until 1699 but after this, there was nobody to invest in the property and it was considered unfashionable.

Smythes Tenement declined after the Setterford Family had moved on and by the mid 19th Century, it was split into separate cottages to be leased.  It was then to be know as The Rookery.  Census records still exist and provide about the residents of these cottages… so who, from the history of this beautiful venue, will you encounter??