Events

A day to celebrate both Norton Priory's honeybees and wild pollinators!

We love bees at Norton Priory! As well as keeping honeybees, we try to provide a habitat for a range of wild pollinators, including bumblebees and solitary bees.

Learn about the different bees at Norton Priory with activities in the museum and at the Walled Garden.

Included with general admission (part of Discover Norton) 

• Family activities including including seed planting and bee-themed trails

• Insect ID and wildlife recording with RECORD - Local Environmental Records Centre

• Bumblebee talk with naturalist Tony Parker at 11am

Book general admission here.

Bookable sessions

Beekeeping at Norton Priory, honey tasting and a "walk and talk" session to learn about honeybees at Norton Priory with our ranger and beekeeper, Paul Quigley. Adults £5, children £3.

• 12pm - Family Beekeeping at Norton Priory session for all ages!

• 3pm - Adults Beekeeping at Norton Priory session for ages 17+ - a chance to ask more in-depth questions about apiculture!

Access requirements

The beekeeping "walk and talk" sessions involve walking in areas with uneven ground.

This is a Discover Norton event and is included with general admission (apart from pre-booked sessions with our beekeeper). Book online ahead of time for a discount! Pre-booking closes at 11:45 the night before your visit. But if you miss out, you can pay for General Admission on arrival!

We are looking for stalls with a bee, beekeeping and honey theme! Norton Priory is always interested in hearing from unique local businesses and artists who want to be involved for our events. If you are interested in being a stallholder at Norton Priory for this event, or any of our fairs, please contact bookings@nortonpriory.org

After an expert-led talk by Tony Parker about bats and identifying bats using bat detectors, we will head out into the woods to see what bats we pick up! The route will take us up to the Bridgewater Canal, which is an excellent site for watch for bats hunting for insects over the water.

Throughout the summer holidays there will be bat walks on Tuesdays, timed to try to catch bats as they head out to hunt.

• 29th July at 8.15pm

• 5th August at 8pm

• 12th August at 7.30pm

• 19th August at 7.30pm

• 26th August at 7.15pm

Pre-booking for this event is essential! Pre-booking closes at 11:45 the night before the event or when tickets sell out, so book now to avoid disappointment!

Access requirements

Please note that this will involve a walk in Norton Priory's woodlands and near the canal after dark, so please dress appropriately and bring a torch. There will be some uneven ground. Although there is no age limit for this event, we recommend parents’ discretion regarding very young children.