The Manor of 'Abintone' was first recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086, where it stated that after the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror gave the village of Abintone to one of his knights Sir Richard Engine (Engaine), which featured a manor house and a mill. The ownership of Abington continued through Richard's descendants who married into the Lisours family, where they built the adjacent Church in circa 1200. The Lisours branch of the family died out eventually and Abington was handed over to Nicholas Bassingbourne who had married the widow of Fulk de Lisours.

 

In 1386, Abington was sold to Sir Nicholas Lilling who years previously was a local MP and High Sheriff of Northampton. Nicholas' great-grandson John Bernard became the first in the family to actually reside at Abington Manor with his wife Margaret. John and Margaret rebuilt the manor house over many years, and some parts of the house today date back to that same early Tudor period, such as the Great Hall and the panelling now seen in the Oak Room, which were completed between 1496 and 1508.

 

Did you know that Abington has two known connections to playwright William Shakespeare? The first comes from John Bernard's great-great-grandson, Baldwin Bernard, who married a woman called Eleanor Fullwood. Eleanor's grandmother Agnes Webbe married Shakespeare's grandfather Robert Arden in 1548. The second connection comes later in 1649. Baldwin and Eleanor had a son called John Bernard who inherited Abington after his parents passed away. After the death of his first wife in 1642, John later remarried to a woman called Elizabeth Nash who was William Shakespeare's eldest granddaughter, and the only grandchild born in his lifetime. Elizabeth's mother inherited Shakespeare's personal papers, leading to speculation over the centuries that they could still be hidden somewhere at Abington Park Museum.

 

The Bernard family would go on to live at Abington for nearly 250 years, until in 1669, John Bernard sold Abington to William Thursby for the cost of £13,750. William immediately began to remodel the house and and make changes to the estate, including the addition of the south section of the house and the water tower located in the eastern side of the park.

 

Abington was then passed through William's nephew to John Harvey of Stockton, who changed his name by Act of Parliament to John Harvey Thursby after inheriting the house and estate. John married a lady called Honour and together they had 11 children. He continued with William's alterations plan and in 1738 he built up the East Range which now had a Palladian front. By 1742 the whole parish of Abington had been enclosed, creating an extensive parkland around the house.

 

The Abington estate was then inherited by John Harvey Thursby's son, also named John. In 1823, Abington Church was severely damaged by a storm and had to be rebuilt the following year by John Harvey Thursby II. Abington Manor was sold at auction in 1840 to Mr. Lewis Loyd, a financier, who rented it to Dr. Thomas Octavius Prichard to be transformed into a private lunatic asylum. Dr. Prichard had previously been the first superintedent of the St. Andrew's Asylum in Northampton and was famous for his forward-thinking treatment, being the first to fully implement a system of non-restraint. He was so proud of this achievement that he would often boast that he had never seen a strait jacket. The Asylum at Abington Manor was called the 'Abington Abbey Retreat' and took in the invalids of society, who were given resources such as musical instruments, books and newspapers to help cope with their mental wellbeing. In the 1850s, people with mental health issues were condemned to punishment and imprisonment by use of mechanical restraints, scourging and patients being starved, as these were considered acceptable ways of managing sufferers. Those conscious of their mental deterioration were often pushed into madness and lunacy through fear of receiving more of these cruel treatments. Dr. Prichard described these cruel treatments as "like many felons in gaol", instead opting for both physical and mental exercise to improve the recovery rate of his patients, which proved to be true compared to patients at St. Andrew's Asylum.

 

Dr. Prichard died aged 39, a couple years after the Abington Asylum was opened. Following his death, the asylum passed over to his cousin Thomas and then to his brother Henry. In 1892, the lease expired and the Abington Asylum was closed. The ownership then passed to Lady Wantage, who gifted the house and 29 acres of land to the Northampton Corporation for use as a 'Public Recreation Ground and for a Museum, Public Library and Gymnasium'. Abington Park was officially opened to the public in 1897, and the Abington Park Museum officially opened in 1899.

 

An interesting secret about Abington Park Museum: In 1982, an amateur historian was exploring the vaults beneath St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, where he discovered a secret passage from the Church to the manor house. This passage had been blocked off at points, but was found to begin in the cellars of the house and extended for 32.5 metres ending under the East Lawn. It's estimated to date back to the 16th Century, but its purpose remains a mystery. One possible reason is that it was used for monks and priests to escape and hide away from Henry VIII's soldiers during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

With so much paranormal activity witnessed in this building, you will definitely feel connected to the energies of the past here at Abington Park Museum.

 

A ghostly lady has been seen and felt across the building by visitors, staff, workmen and other investigators. She is said to have hanged herself in the East Range over 200 years ago, though the reason for doing so is unknown. Workmen have reported seeing her sitting in the attic, refusing to carry on with the job for fear of her presence. Another reported sighting of her was by a member of the public walking through the park at night, who said they saw her apparition at the window of the Sanitation Room looking down towards her. Interestingly museum staff have reported hearing a woman's scream at times during the day and at night whilst supervising events. Will we discover the true identity of this female spirit on our paranormal investigation?

 

The odours of rose perfume has been smelt up on the first floor by museum staff and visitors. Could this again be connected to the woman?

 

Loud banging and dragging noises are heard throughout the East Range, and creaking noises derive from both the oak staircase and the grand staircase. It's also on the grand staircase that shadow figures have been seen.

 

In the Great Hall, Oak Room and Abington Gallery, cold drafts sweep around the rooms and auditory phenomena like phantom footsteps and disembodied voices have been reported by museum staff and visitors.

 

During our team's preliminary site visit to Abington Park Museum, Brookes Paranormal co-founders Jordan and Lynda along with a museum staff member heard three distinct loud taps and the sound of a man clearing his throat twice. These audibles happened in and around the Great Hall and Abington Gallery.

DATE: Saturday 1st March 2025

 

TIMES: 7:30pm - 1:00am (arrive 15 minutes early and wait patiently outside the front entrance until a member of our team greets you at the door)

 

LOCATION: Abington Park Museum, Park Avenue South, Northampton NN1 5LW

 

PARKING AT EVENT: Local street parking around the Park as there is no on-site car park. Please note parking charges may apply.

 

REMAINING BALANCE: Needs to be paid FOUR WEEKS prior to the event date. Failure to pay your remaining balance before this deadline will result in you forfeiting your places and your places will be sold on.

 

WHAT TO BRING: A torch, a warm coat/jacket, sensible footwear, any equipment you wish to bring along (your responsibility), your positive and open-minded energies.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Bringing alcohol or illegal drugs to this event is strictly prohibited. If anyone arrives at the event under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, they will not be allowed to stay for the night and will be asked to leave immediately. No refunds given.