Events

Welcome the New Year and wassail the apple trees in Norton Priory's orchard to encourage a good year's harvest.  It certainly worked a treat last year!

This event follows a rich tradition of encouraging the spirits to ensure a good harvest the following season. It involves a visit to our Wassail Orchard, which is located just behind the museum visitor centre.

Expect singing, dancing, a little drinking (!) and some general merrymaking. As well as being a time-honoured tradition, it's also the perfect antidote to the January blues, and a great way to start the new year!  The ticket includes soup made by the Brooke Cafe.

Tickets are £14 for adults and £9 for Under 21s (discounts available for Norton Priory members).  

Learn the basics of pruning your fruit trees then get some practical experience using the Norton Priory Museum & Gardens orchards, with guidance and advice from an expert tutor. The session will be led by Katie Tonge from Heathfield Orchards.

Katie is the former Chief Executive of the Cheshire Landscape Trust and now manages and advises on orchards across Cheshire. 

A hands-on workshop to learn about grafting fruit trees from an expert tutor. Graft a couple of small apple trees to take home using Norton Priory's heritage apple varieties. The session will be led by Katie Tonge from Heathfield Orchards.

Katie is the former Chief Executive of the Cheshire Landscape Trust and now manages and advises on orchards across Cheshire. She helps to maintain the orchards at Norton Priory and worked with us to create the new Oldfield Orchard.

Following on from their acclaimed show A Brief History of Music, GreenMatthews bring you a new show which explores our rich history of witty wordplay and melodic mirth.

Chris Green (piano, guitar, accordion) and Sophie Matthews (early woodwinds, flute, saxophone) bring four centuries of chromatic comedy to life.  With pieces ranging from bawdy Restoration ballads to stinging Sixties satire, this is a historic musical journey like no other! 

Featuring songs by Noël Coward, Tom Lehrer, Flanders and Swann and a host of other lesser-known songwriters, this fun and fast-moving revue will have you rolling in the aisles!

This is an exclusive chance to see this show live, in-person, in 2026, so we expect demand for tickets to be high!

The show comprises two 45 minute sets, with a 25 minute interval.  

This performance is recommended for ages 8 and up.  Doors to the performance space open at 7:00pm, with refreshments available from the Brooke Cafe before the performance and during the interval.

Award-winning VML Drama bring you a script-in-hand production of a scary tale, as part of Norton Priory's 'Phantoms at the Priory' season. 

Be prepared for jump scares courtesy of special sound effects and the incredible talents of VML Drama's company, as they bring this to life in the presence of an audience. The performance will be narrated by the ‘Master of the Crypt’, who will guide the audience through the story.

The fabulous Norton Priory atrium will prove the perfect back drop for this evening of spine-chilling entertainment. Are you brave enough to attend in the company of the Phantoms of the Priory?

This performance is recommended for ages 12 and up. Doors to the performance space open at 6:30pm, with refreshments available from the Brooke Cafe before the performance and during the interval.

Join us on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th February for a special gaming event, as part of the Phantoms at the Priory programme.  This event is included with General Admission tickets.

Explore three worlds of tabletop games, suitable for all ages:

Perhaps you will chose to venture into Norton Priory's past and and help Lady Katherine Brooke defend the house against royalist soldiers from Halton Castle.  You might even see her phantom during your visit...

Or, will a a spooky adventure in a haunted house catch your interest... if you are brave enough, of course...

Maybe, you'll be tempted to become a misbehaving bear, on a grand heist to steal Ranger Paul’s stores of honey.  

All sessions will be held in the Medieval Undercroft, with no prior knowledge required to join in.

This event is open to all ages, with games suited for younger and more experienced players. Our fantastic Game Masters will guide people to the best session for you.

Just bring yourself and your imagination!

Tickets coming soon!

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.

Tickets for New Dates Coming Soon!