Canons Ashby House

Canons Ashby is a Tudor mansion house nestled in the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside in the UK. It was the home of the Dryden family for centuries, but the house only exists as it is today because of the demolition of the nearby Priory.

To tell the story of the house and estate, you have to go back to the Augustine Priory which was founded on this site in 1147. This was a huge complex with a cathedral sized church at its heart, but after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, the site was reduced to a quarter of its original size. The church is all that remains of it now and we’d recommend starting your visit here. It’s an unusual shape because it’s been truncated! One of the many original features here is the ceiling of the church, so make sure you look up.

When the whole Priory site was sold off, the purchasers used the stone from the ruins to create the country house you see today. This was originally a modest farmhouse, but over the years it became a four sided mansion surrounding an inner courtyard. Many of the Tudor windows were then replaced in the 1800s to let in more light at the front of the house. Your tour around the house is self-guided, but there are experts on hand in many areas to tell you more. We’d definitely recommend that you talk to them and ask questions about what you see.

Canons Ashby is laid out as it would have been when Sir Henry Dryden lived here from 1837 to 1899. The house was originally the Dryden family’s country estate and they had a main home in London. However, inheritance tax forced the sale of the London home and the entire family moved to Northamptonshire to enjoy a country life. The house is spread over several floors and you’ll get to see the family dining room, the library, the withdrawing room, the hall, the kitchen, the bedrooms and the servants quarters. We were particularly impressed with the cook’s bedroom which had a superb view over the garden.

The gardens at this house should not be missed. There’s a walled area to the rear of the house with parkland beyond and a formal terraced garden at the front. The huge Lebanese Cedar tree used to be double the size, but lost its top in the storms of 1987. If you look closely you can see where the trunk has been cut and how the whole thing is now held together with strapping for extra support. At the bottom of the terraced garden is a lovely vegetable area with an abundance of fruit at the right time of year.

Canons Ashby is open daily at peak times from 10am to 5pm. The house opens from 11.30am to 3.30pm. AT off peak times, the property only opens a few days a week, so check with the National Trust before visiting. Adult admission is £14 but is free for National Trust members (2025 prices)

LOCATION & CONTACT

Address: Canons Ashby, near Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 3SD
Tel: 01327861900
Email: canonsashby@nationaltrust.org.uk

MORE ON CANONS ASHBY HOUSE

Canons Ashby – National Trust
Canons Ashby – Wikipedia