Events

Join Mima Cornish from HedgeRose Healing for meditation in the beautiful surroundings of Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Runcorn on select Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The sessions vary each week and take the opportunity to access the many different places and atmospheres at Norton Priory, both inside and out, to truly enjoy the present moment. All meditations will be guided, and any mindful activities will be gentle and relaxing, promoting a natural sense of peace. Suitable for all levels from beginners to experienced. Please bring a blanket.

Dates for spring/summer 2025 are:

16th March

30th March

27th April

11th May

24th May

8th June

22nd June

5th July

20th July 

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

Seek out new and unusual plants to make your garden stand out in 2025! With a range of specialist nurseries providing a myriad of beautiful plants, this event is one of the most popular in Norton Priory's annual calendar.

It's £1.00 per person to visit the Plant Hunters' Fair! Or to visit both the fair and the museum purchase the special 'Early Bird Ticket' priced at just £8.50 for each adult visitor (up to three 0-16 year olds are admitted with each 'Early Bird' adult). This Early Bird ticket includes access to the stunning 2.5 acre Georgian Walled Garden, the main museum building and medieval undercroft, and acres of woodland walks.

With free car parking and Norton Priory's onsite Brooke Cafe, it makes for the perfect day out.

The following specialist nurseries will be attending on the day (more to be added):

• A Love Blossoms Garden accessories, stakes, planters, garden wall decorations and more
• ChickenStreet Grasses and herbaceous perennials for naturalistic plantings
• Dibleys The Houseplant Specialists: over 150 RHS Gold medals including 33 Chelsea Golds NEW
• Eastoft Echeveria Tender Echeveria, Graptopetalum, Pachyphytum, Sedums & Interspecific hybrids Hardy Sedum, Delosperma and various alpine plants NEW
• Freddie's Flowers Fresh Flowers Delivered As A One-Off Gift Or Regular Subscription NEW
• Hoyland Plant Centre Agapanthus, Amarines, Nerines, Tulbaghia, Dierama , Arisaema and Scadoxus. National Collection Holders,RHS Medalists NEW
• Kilned Earth Premium quality Cretan terracotta pots containing herbs and rare plants NEW
• Mayfields Plants Wide range of bee and butterfly-friendly cottage garden perennials.
• Meadowmakers Wildflower and native tree plants and plugs
• Penmere Plants Hardy, half-hardy and species Fuchsia.
• Pottertons Nursery Alpines, Dwarf Bulbs and Woodland Plants RHS Gold Medalists
• Primrose Bank Wide range of perennial plants RHS Gold Medalists
• Priorswood Clematis Clematis. RHS Medalists NEW
• Stonyford Cottage Nursery Moist and shade loving plants, some Exotics and Alpines including Sempervivums.
• The Gobbett Nursery Shrubs, perennials inc Iris, Cornus, Syringa in season RHS Medalists

This is a Discover Norton event and has discount Early Bird rates available for combined General Admission and Plant Hunters' tickets, and children go free on General Admission to the museum!* Book online ahead of time for the Early Bird discount! Pre-booking closes at 11:45 the night before your visit. But if you miss out, you can pay for admission on arrival!

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

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.

The Wheel of the Year turns once more and we find ourselves at Summer Solstice. Come and join us as we give gratitude to the Sun for all that they give us on this, the longest day. With meditation and reflective moments with Mima Cornish of HedgeRose Healing, and immersive circle dancing from Myrriadd Dance, we will share this wonderful evening of celebration together. All folks booked are asked to send positive thoughts to the weather so we can be outdoors and enjoy the glorious environment of Norton Priory.

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

Norton Priory Museum and Gardens welcomes Illyria's sparkling production of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' as part of the 'Summer of Stories' programme.  This outdoor theatre production will be performed on the medieval remains of Norton Priory's cloister.

With her tongue firmly in her cheek, Jane Austen tells us “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Mrs Bennet certainly thinks so. So when Mr Bingley – single, young, handsome, and with £5,000 a year – moves into nearby Netherfield Park, she devotes all her energy to contriving for Jane, the eldest of her five daughters, to meet him during rural Hertfordshire’s whirlwind of social balls.

But even Mrs Bennet draws the line at Mr Bingley’s disdainful friend Mr Darcy despite his whopping £10,000 a year. Thank heavens Lizzy, her second daughter, finds him detestable too! Or does she…? Can she see beyond his pride – and could he overcome her prejudice – to consider a possible future together?

Following seven sell-out seasons of this sparkling adaptation, award-winning Illyria prepares to celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday in style. Bring a picnic and enjoy her at her vibrant, forthright, bitchy best! Running time: 140-minutes (approximately), including a 20-minute interval. Suitable for all ages.

Please note that the performance starts at 7:00pm. Gates open at 6:30pm.

We invite you to join us for our new Retreat Hour – a quiet, soul-nourishing experience held before the museum and grounds open to the public. With only a handful of others present, you’ll have the rare chance to spend quiet time in the woodland, walk the labyrinth in peaceful solitude, finishing with a short, gentle guided meditation to ease you into your weekend with intention and calm.

Norton Priory has long been a place of peace, reflection, and retreat. Our meditation groups are deeply special, enriched by the sacred atmosphere that surrounds this historic site.

Here is an exclusive opportunity to experience time in the grounds to simply breathe, reflect, and just be. 

Following several years of sold-out outdoor Shakespeare at Norton Priory, this hard-hitting 'Romeo and Juliet' adaptation from multi-award winning A Place For Us Theatre delivers a story which resonates across the ages. Set in the stunning Woodland Theatre space, passion, violence and urgency explode in a bold, high energy production. With dynamic, visceral performances, heart-stopping drama and immersive staging this 70 minute adaptation creates an unforgettable theatrical experience under the open sky.

Friday 27th June 5:30pm

Saturday 28th June 5:30pm

Running time approx 70 minutes.  No interval, but bring a picnic!

Suitable for ages 9 and upwards

"…The torment is real, the hideous crimes authentic, the anguish and grief tangible – each scene, each actor, each movement, played with passion and credence. It was superb…" (***** Northwest End Review – Macbeth 2024) 

Experience Shakespeare's dark tragedy like never before as raw ambition, betrayal and supernatural dread ignite the stage. After a sell-out run in 2024, this five-star abridged and accessible version of Shakespeare's chilling play returns to the atmospheric woodland theatre at Norton Priory this June presented by multi-award winning A Place for Us Theatre for limited performances only. 

Something wicked this way comes...

Friday 27th June 7:30pm

Saturday 28th June 7:30pm

Running time approx. 70 minutes - No interval but bring a picnic!

Suitable for ages 9 upwards.

"...the torment is real, the hideous crimes authentic, the anguish and grief tangible - each scene, each actor, each movement played with passion and credence. It was superb..." (***** Northwest End Review)

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!

Summer Songbook is a fusion of well-known music from across the world, in this special performance to mark Norton Priory's Summer of Stories programme.

The playlist for this event will include classics such as Summertime, I Dreamed A Dream, O Mio Babbino Caro, All I Ask Of You and many more. Nicola's sublime voice is perfectly complemented by the music talents of Maria King, as they fill Norton Priory's atrium with music and song.

Don't miss out this special fundraising event to mark the 50th anniversary of Norton Priory Museum Trust, the independant charitable trust which has operated the museum since 1975.

Come and be a part of our story and listen to some of Nicola and Maria's favourites on what promises to be a very special summer evening of song and celebration. It's the perfect feel good moment!

There's plenty of free car parking and refreshments will be available on the evening. Tickets at £16 for adults and £10 for children, with discounts available for members of Norton Priory Museum and Gardens.

Poet Lynn Pegler takes us on a fascinating illustrated tour ‘Around Cheshire in 100 Poems and Pictures’,  performing lively monologues and verse from her new book, inspired by the county’s intriguing people, places and history.  The poems explore the culture of Cheshire and the stories which form part of the county's DNA.  The subject of the poems is wide and varied, and you'll find some little known facts and humourous moments within Lynn's witty, playful and engaging verse.

The event will be held in the first floor gallery in Norton Priory's contemporary visitor centre, with views across Cheshire's most important monastic remains.  The gallery can be reached by lift or stairs and there is free car parking in front of the building.  There will be an opportunity to purchase signed copies of the book during the evening.

Tickets are £12 for adults and £7 for children, with discounts for members of Norton Priory.

Lynn Pegler is a poet, award-winning playwright, journalist and PR consultant. She has lived and worked in Cheshire for more than 25 years and serves as one of the county’s Deputy Lieutenants.  She is also the Chair of Norton Priory Museum Trust's Board and is the Festival Manager for the Weaver Words literary festival, which celebrated its seventh year in 2025.

She also holds an MA in Creative Writing from the Manchester Metropolitan University, has written/directed four plays and published a poetry collection ‘Salford Quays Unlocked – Voices of Manchester Docks’.

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.

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 1-4pm, 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.

You can access and download a sensory guide to Norton Priory here

You can access and download a guide to the Relaxed Norton afternoon here

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.

Introducing 'The Tempest', Shakespeare’s most magical play bursting with mayhem, comedy, romance and surprises!

Having developed a reputation for producing first-rate, critically-acclaimed, and highly accessible adaptations of Shakespeare’s work, Immersion Theatre – the multi-award nominated company behind last year’s smash hit 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream', proudly presents 'The Tempest"='; Shakespeare’s unforgettable tale of magic, romance, comedy, and revenge!

With heaps of audience participation, this mesmerising show will be brought to life in unforgettable style, perfect for both, seasoned theatre-goers and newcomers to Shakespeare’s work.

Not to be missed! Suitable for ages 8+

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

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

Step into the festive spirit and kick off your Christmas shopping with a wonderful selection of food, crafts, and gifts from local businesses. The museum will be filled with a variety of stalls, offering everything you need to find the perfect presents for loved ones. From handcrafted treasures to delicious treats, you’re bound to find a stocking filler or two! Enjoy musical entertainment and festive food and drink while you browse and soak up the seasonal atmosphere.

As well as entry to the fair, admission tickets include access to the museum, ruins and woodlands. After picking up some wonderful Christmas gifts, why not enjoy a lovely winter walk in Norton Priory's woodlands?

This is a Discover Norton event and is included with General Admission at a reduced price of £5 for adults and £4 for children.  Pre-booking closes at 11:45 the night before your visit. But if you miss out, you can pay for General Admission on arrival!

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