Scarecrows, spooks and stories: autumn arrives at Delapré Abbey

Historic HousesEvents
Written By Lynne Dickens

Delapré Abbey has announced an autumn programme featuring historic tours, theatrical tales, outdoor cinema, storytelling, spooky dining experiences and, for the first time, an exclusive Halloween sleepover.

A pumpkin headed spooky character looking out of one of the Abbey's leaded windows

The programme brings together heritage, entertainment, food and family experiences, with events taking place across the Abbey’s historic interiors, atmospheric cellars, grounds and Walled Garden.

A new indoor camping experience invites guests to spend the night inside the historic Abbey for the first time. Taking place on the nights of 30 and 31 October, Delapré After Dark transforms the 900-year-old abbey into an indoor campsite. Guests can explore the site after hours on an Unusual Happenings tour, enjoy a Halloween film in the 18th-century wine cellars, gather for a bonfire in the Walled Garden with midnight treats and hot drinks, before settling down to sleep within the historic Georgian suites.

For those looking for something eerie, Don’t Go Into The Cellar Theatre returns for three gothic performances in the Abbey’s 18th-century wine cellars. These include a one-person performance of the Victorian classic Jekyll and Hyde on 26 September, an anthology of nineteenth-century chillers in Victorian Gothic on 24 October, and a collection of mystical stories inspired by Britain’s agricultural past in Folk Horror on 25 October.

On 23 October, aspiring detectives can put their investigative skills to the test at the Halloween special Murder Mystery: Murderers Anonymous! Guests will enjoy a two-course meal and arrival drink while gathering clues, interrogating suspects and attempting to identify the culprit.

For an especially immersive experience, Preacher the Storyteller hosts an evening of dinner and spooky stories for an 18+ Halloween experience on 28 October.

Preacher will also deliver an interactive and not-so-spooky storytelling session during the day for families and younger visitors, exploring the game Scare Me A Crow and its historical links to the Abbey.

Later that evening, visitors can enjoy Hocus Pocus and The Lost Boys on the big screen during an outdoor cinema experience on 28 October, with dress-up encouraged.

During October half-term, younger visitors can take part in a Halloween trail around the Abbey, searching the historic house for hidden scarecrows. Those who find them all will receive a special sticker to take home, offering a fun way for families to explore the Abbey while getting into the Halloween spirit.

A photo of the spooky afternoon tea with spiders and crows among the decorations on the cake and sandwich stand

From 24 October to 1 November, visitors can enjoy a Halloween Harvest Afternoon Tea, putting a spooky twist on the traditional afternoon tea. Served in the cellars, the experience will feature some of the Abbey’s brought-to-life scarecrows, along with a selection of sweet and savoury treats, autumnal flavours and a few spooky surprises.

For those who prefer their autumn evenings with a little more history than horror, Delapré’s programme includes two guided history tours exploring fascinating characters and scandals from the Abbey’s past.

On 25 September, the Scandalous Georgians tour delves into the real-life drama of Georgian high society, following the story of Harriet Bouverie and her relationship with Lord Robert Spencer. Then, on 22 October, the Mysterious Lady in the Painting tour invites guests to discover the extraordinary life of Elizabeth Linley Sheridan, with a story of romance, betrayal, duels and daring escapes. Both evenings include a one-course meal and soft refreshment.

Alongside the events programme, Delapré Abbey remains open to visitors for general admission until 1 November, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the historic house and discover almost 900 years of history at their own pace or on a guided tour.

With history, theatre, storytelling, food, films and an after-dark adventure, the autumn programme offers a range of experiences for visitors, from family Halloween outings and atmospheric theatre to dining experiences and the chance to spend the night inside the historic Abbey.

For full details, dates, times and tickets, visit delapreabbey.org/whats-on

Lynne Dickens

Lynne is currently a part-time freelance website designer and marketer. Formerly trading full-time as Spot On Creative is a Northants-based creative team who have the hard-earned skills, expertise and industry knowledge that only come from having worked for years in advertising. It was all managed by Lynne Dickens who has over 20 years’ experience in marketing communications, and ten years in website design and build, and creative team project management.

Lynne is also a qualified art historian and has some expertise in curating fine art exhibitions and producing all of the catalogues, posters and supporting material to create a successful event.

All the guys in the team have worked for one-man bands, SMEs and large blue-chip multinationals in just about every sector, field and industry. Collectively, we can come up with great ideas, superb design and copy, and exceptional photography for anything from websites to email campaigns, branding to brochures – and everything in between.

And the beauty of Spot On Creative is that we’re big in creativity, experience and knowledge, but small in overheads and invoices. So we’re a much more sensible and affordable option for you than a larger advertising agency or marketing company.

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