Events

Orchard Blossom Day is the annual celebration of fruit trees, orchards, blossom, and food. Celebrated at the end of April/start of May (when orchards look their best), it is a chance to celebrate orchards and the coming harvest.

Did you know? Norton Priory is home to the National Collection of tree quince, as well as dozens of varieties of apple, plus pears, plums, damsons, medlars, and many other varieties of fruit. We've also recently planted the new Oldfield Orchard, filled with local heritage varieties of apple from Cheshire and Lancashire. We have plenty to celebrate about Norton Priory's beautiful orchards!

Join us on Sunday 4th May for family-friendly crafts, tours of Norton Priory's orchards, themed trails, and a blossom-spotters guide!

Included with general admission (part of Discover Norton): crafts such as blossom head band making from 12-3pm, themed trails and our blossom-spotters guide! Book general admission here.

Bookable sessions: tours of Norton Priory's orchards with our Ranger, Paul Quigley, and orchard expert Katie Tonge at 12pm or 2pm. Adults £5, children £3.

Access requirements: The orchard tours involve walking in areas with uneven ground.

This is a Discover Norton event and is included with general admission (apart from pre-booked orchard tours). 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!

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

Prepare for uproarious pandemonium in a uniquely hilarious family theatre adventure for all ages!

Two loopy Professor Doctors invent three brand-new myths live by unleashing cardboard chaos and your boundless imagination!

Will your adventure unfold in Ancient Egypt, Viking fjords, or Neptune’s deep? You choose! Shape the story, suggest the world and even become the hero (optional, shy souls welcome!).

From the award-winning champions of children’s theatre, Rubbish Shakespeare Company and Silly History Boys, comes an hour of high-octane family fun: expect clowning, improv, music, and epic cardboard props.

Forge your legend – you'd be mad to myth it!

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This performance will be open-air on Norton Priory's ruins. So bring a picnic, chairs or a blanket and sun cream! Please be aware that weather and other elements outside of the priory's control. Audience members are advised to bring suitable clothing to the performance, paying attention to the weather on the day.

If you, or any member of your party, have access requirements, please speak to a member of the Norton Priory team who will be happy to assist you in finding a suitable space from which to view the performance.

Photography: Andrew AB Photography.

This family friendly show from acclaimed musicians Chris Green and Sophie Matthews takes in 600 years of musical history in 90 minutes! Beginning in the Middle Ages and ending up in the 20th century (and incorporating everything in between!) prepare to be taken on a whistle-stop tour of Western musical history.

Featuring long forgotten songs and tunes (not to mention jokes!) Chris and Sophie paint a vibrant and vivid picture of our musical DNA, mixing the vigour of the medieval period, the musical intricacy of the Renaissance, the grandeur of the Baroque and the pomp and bombast of Victoriana. The stage is set for a veritable musical feast in the historic setting of Norton Priory!

Complete with a bewildering array of instruments such as cittern, rauschpfeife and virginal (and that’s just the first 100 years!) ‘A Brief History of Music‘ uses tunes, songs and humour to take you on a musical journey from which you won’t want to return.

Suitable for ages 8+, please note under 5s will not be permitted. 

The show contains an interval of 15 to 20 minutes and ends approx.9.30pm

Pack your picnics and join Ratty, Mole, Badger, and the fantastically irrepressible Toad as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime, culminating in a colourful battle to save Toad Hall from the mischievous weasels!

Multi-award nominated Immersion Theatre proudly bring their trademark style and energy to Norton Priory, where the riverbank is brought to life on the excavated remains of the priory. Expect heaps of interaction, stunning costumes, toe-tapping music, and larger-than-life characters as part of Norton Priory's Summer of Stories programme.

A TOAD-ally terrific treat whether you’re 4 or 104!

An autism-friendly afternoon at Norton Priory.

Because we appreciate that busy and noisy environments can be challenging for some people, we are holding an autism-friendly afternoon during the summer holidays. 

Based on guidance by the National Autistic Society and feedback from the Relaxed Mars evening, the following measures to support autistic and neurodiverse visitors will be in place:

• There will be quiet background music in the museum atrium.
• A written guide has been produced to help visitors know what to expect, available below.
• Staff working on the day will be briefed on the event.
• Hand dryers in the toilets will be switched off.
• A retreat space will be available for anyone who needs to take a break and sit down.
• Visitor numbers will be monitored and limited if need be - but with the outside spaces open the site can be calm and tranquil, even with a lot of visitors!
• Where possible, windows will be opened in the museum to provide ventilation.
• Many of our visitors love our trails for children! There will be trails available on the day.
• The choice of date and time is based on feedback from Relaxed Mars, typical footfall, and peak periods to try and ensure a calm environment.

On the day, the museum will be open from 10am-5pm and the Walled Garden from 12-4pm, and we will ensure that the above measures are in place by 3pm. We encourage anyone visiting for the autism afternoon to visit the Walled Garden before its closing time! Maps of the site will be available from the museum reception.

The guide to the afternoon will be posted online here in advance of the event.

This is a Discover Norton event and is included with General Admission, plus children go free!* 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!

*Up to 3 children free per full priced adult ticket, additional children will be charged.

#AutismHour

Historia Normannis present a siege special at Norton Priory Museum & Gardens. See an exciting battle on the event field where medieval knights and soldiers attack the palisades with siege engines and 12th century weaponry.

In between acts, explore our dynamic living history encampment to see the clothes, food, crafts and skills of every day medieval life. Discover Norton Priory's medieval history through our permanent museum gallery displays and historic ruins.

There will also be family friendly crafts in the classroom, trails around the museum and gardens, and why not take your photo trying on some of our medieval fashions!

This is a Discover Norton event and is included with General Admission, plus children go free!* 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!

*Up to 3 children free per full priced adult ticket, additional children will be charged.

Quince and Apple Weekend is back at Norton Priory, offering a delightful experience for the entire family. This annual event showcases the best produce from the walled garden, where you can purchase fresh apples, quince and other produce grown at Norton Priory. Dive into creative craft activities and explore a marketplace filled with unique offerings from local businesses! Whether you're looking to pick up some fresh produce or enjoy a fun-filled day of entertainment, Quince and Apple Weekend promises something for everyone.

This is a Discover Norton event and is included with General Admission, plus children go free!* 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!

*Up to 3 children free per full priced adult ticket, additional children will be charged.

Norton Priory is always looking for unique local businesses and artists 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