Adventures around Northamptonwith PlusBus
Northampton’s gleaming new railway station stands on the site of a once-famous castle. Nearby you can see the postern gate, which is all that is left. Medieval battles, a sprawling abbey and a major shoe-making industry: Northampton has plenty of interesting things for visitors to discover. And the town is surrounded by acres of watery countryside, teeming with wildlife. Add PlusBus when you buy your train ticket to Northampton and you can visit all this and more. Here are just three of the adventures you can have.
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1. Derngate
Northampton’s cultural quarter, in the heart of the town, includes the Royal & Derngate Theatre, the fabulous free museum and art gallery, lots of great pubs, cafes, independent shops and a variety of architectural styles. You can walk there from the railway station or hop on almost any bus for a couple of stops to get closer. A PlusBus ticket for Northampton will give you unlimited bus travel around the town all day.
- The elegant house at 78 Derngate is a hidden gem. In 1916, Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh remodelled this Victorian terraced house and designed its interiors for the Northampton engineer Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke. Mackintosh’s work here is strikingly modern and art-lovers from far and wide have visited to admire its stylish decor.
- With their geometric motifs and dramatic patterns, the rooms prefigure artistic trends that would not catch on for years. From the theatrical hall-lounge up to the stripe-walled bedroom at the top, there’s a great sense of joie de vivre packed into the modest walls of 78 Derngate. And, nearby, there are plenty of places to eat and drink including the new on-site Dining Room.
- How do I get to Derngate by bus? Turn left out of the station to find a bus stop just beyond the old castle’s postern gate. Take bus 9, 15, 55, 96, D2 or D3 for two stops to St Peter’s Walk. From here, it’s a short walk past classical St Peter’s Church into Derngate.
- A glass-walled extension to 78 Derngate opened in 2023. It allows room for a lovely art gallery and shop with views across the newly-extended garden.
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2. Delapré Abbey
Having survived more than 900 turbulent years, Delapré Abbey has entered a new phase of its long history by opening its doors to the public in 2018. The surrounding gardens and parklands are worth visiting too and are free to wander round.
- New display zones in the stable block and main house explore the abbey’s own stories and also the Battle of Northampton, which was fought nearby, a key battle in the Wars of the Roses.
- The walled garden next door has flowers, shrubs, vegetables and sculptures. A couple of miles’ signed walk through the parkland takes in woods, lake and the site of Northampton Battle.
- How do I get to Delapré Abbey by bus? Several buses stop at the park gates, including bus 11 and bus X6, both hourly. Get on at the bus station, about 10 minutes’ walk or short bus ride from the train station. Get off at Delapre Crescent and you will see the park gates in front of you. Walk along the path next to the drive, passing information about the battle and wooden sculptures of soldiers to reach the abbey. There are maps of the parkland walks near the gates.
- Is there anywhere for refreshments in Delapré Park? The fabulously cheerful Orangery cafe opens from 9.30am and serves excellent breakfasts, toasted sarnies, jacket spuds and pancakes.
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3. Upton Country Park
With more than 300 acres of woodland, wetland and water meadow, Upton Country Park is a great area for a country walk. New walkways, surfaced paths and information boards give visitors a choice of interesting routes beside lakes, rivers and canals. Look out for the turquoise flash of a kingfisher along the River Nene.
- How do I get to Upton Country Park by bus? Bus 15 runs every half an hour to the attractive new village of Upton. To catch the bus, turn left outside the station and cross the road to the bus stop on the other side (you can get on at the bus station too if you’re already in town). Get off at Webb Drive and you will see the start of the park beyond the wood-walled Elgar Centre.
- The most interesting sections of the park are through the gates in the far corner of this big field. Here you will find the River Nene and Upton Mill, a Victorian watermill built from the warm local ironstone.
- Walk back to the bus stop and head into town again for refreshments. If you get off the bus five stops from Webb Drive at the stop called Nat West Bank, you’ll find the lovely Coffee Press cafe nearby.