Norton Priory Gardens is a fantastic day out, with excavated medieval ruins, the spectacular St Christopher statue, the lovely Walled Garden and the extensive woodland and sculpture trail.

A separate charge of £4.00 adults, £2.70 children applies if you want to enter the garden. Whole site entry (gardens and museum) is £7.95 (£5.50 children).

A special entry rate of £3.00 is available for pre-booked groups of 15 or more people to the Walled Garden. Contact bookings@nortonpriory.org to arrange.

The 2 acre Walled Garden was built between 1757 and 1770 for the Brooke family, the owners of Norton Priory. When the Brookes left Norton Priory, it became neglected and overgrown, until work began in 1980 by Runcorn Development Corporation to reclaim it.

The garden was featured on BBC TV's "Hidden Gardens" series with Chris Beardshaw.

The Walled Garden has been recreated as a typical Georgian Walled Garden. It was essentially a kitchen garden, and would have been the source of fruit, vegetables and flowers for the mansion house. Today there is an orchard, a fruit garden, a vegetable garden, various ornamental borders and the beautiful Rose Walk.

Norton Priory is home of the National Collection of Tree Quince (Cydonia Oblonga). These are dotted around the garden and the site and include 20 different varieties. The Walled Garden is also the location of a number of Norton Priory's "hidden gems", including the Ha Ha Wall, the Ice House and the Wildflower Meadow.

The plant fair is held just outside the walled garden

Articles:

Norton Priory: The Quince-Essential Garden (from our 2016 newsletter)

Nurseries coming in May:

Amorosa from Leicestershire: Up-cycled and recycled garden ornaments NEW TO EVENT

ChickenStreet from Shropshire: grasses and herbaceous perennials for naturalistic plantings

Hall Farm Nursery from Shropshire: Wide range of perennials and herbs. RHS Gold medallists including Chelsea Gold

Mandsand Plants from Cheshire: Heucheras, heucherella, tiarella and other coloured leaf plants

Mayfields Plants from Cheshire: bee and butterfly-friendly cottage garden perennials

Meadow View Plants from Lancashire: Thalictrums, Sanguisorba, Astrantia & members of the Apiacea family

Pottertons Nursery from Lincolnshire: Extensive selection of Alpines, Dwarf Bulbs and Woodland Plants. RHS Gold medallists including Chelsea Gold

SpecialPerennials from Cheshire: Herbaceous perennials with large ranges of helenium, phlox, geum, salvia and other wildlife-friendly flowers

The Gobbett Nursery from Worcestershire: Shrubs, perennials inc Iris, Cornus, Syringa. RHS medallists

Plus information stands from:

The Woodland Trust

Norton Priory is less than 30 minutes by car from Chester, Liverpool and Manchester. From M56, Junction 11, turn for Warrington and follow the Norton Priory signs. From all other directions follow the "All other Runcorn Traffic" and then the Norton Priory signs.

The Norton Priory Museum Trust.
Norton Priory Museum & Gardens,
Tudor Road, Manor Park,
Runcorn,
Cheshire
WA7 1SX.

For SATNAV please use WA7 1BD

website: www.nortonpriory.org

Event details may change - please check here or with venues before travelling. Late changes will be advised here and on Facebook and twitter as soon as possible.