Norton Priory Museum & Gardens
BEST FOR
Ages 0-16
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Runcorn
What it’s like
A medieval priory museum with woodland walks, a Georgian walled garden and a St Christopher statue that starred in a children's novel.
The museum itself is worth the slow wander, thousands of objects packed in, including the St Christopher statue that turns up in Lucy M. Boston's "The Children of Green Knowe". Kids who've read the book get a proper thrill spotting it in real life. Outside, the woodland walks have sculptures and secret summer houses tucked along a stream glade, the sort of thing that turns a ten-minute path into forty.
Save the Walled Garden for last if you're going in summer. It's 2.5 acres of orchards, rose walk and herb garden, and it only opens for the summer season, so it's shut over winter when the shorter days and 4pm closing make for a brisker visit anyway. Around Halloween there's the Grumpy Pumpkins trail with puzzles and games, and the Zoology Club runs hands-on animal encounters if that's more your child's thing than old stone.
It isn't cheap for a family day out: £13.95 for an adult and £7 a child, though up to three kids go free with one full-paying adult, which softens the blow if you've got more than one. Under-4s are free regardless. The Brooke Café does hot meals, jacket potatoes and a children's menu, plus vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and there's free parking across three car parks including one right by the Walled Garden in summer.
Some of the oldest parts, the Undercroft and the archaeological ruins, are not fully accessible because of the medieval structure itself, which is a shame but not really fixable. Everywhere else has lifts and ramps, wheelchairs to borrow, and carers get in free. Dogs on leads are welcome all round the grounds, just not inside the café, though there's outdoor seating for them.
What’s on here
- SAT10
The Autumn Orchard Festival
Free · 1 more dates
- TUE13
Meditation at the Coach House
09:00 - 10:30 · from £10
- SAT17
Character Design Studio Workshop with Stu Harrison
Free · 1 more dates
- SUN18
Meditation at the Museum
09:00 · from £8
- FRI23
Halloween Ghost Hunt with Haunted Happenings
20:00 · from £59
- SAT24
Zoology Club with Animal Teach
10:15 · from £14
- MON26
Frightfully Fascinating Workshop with Animal Teach
10:30 · Free
- MON26
Jack-o'-Lanterns Light Walk
17:30 · from £7.50 · 1 more dates
- FRI30
Halloween Paint and Sip Evening at The Brooke Café
19:00 · from £30
- SAT7
Japanese Painting Workshop with Ula Fung
10:30 · from £7.50
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 4 to 16, with under-4s free and plenty for buggies outdoors
- Last entry
- 4:30pm summer, 3:30pm winter (an hour before closing)
- Parking
- Free on site. Three car parks including overflow and Walled Garden car park
- Food
- Brooke Café serves hot and cold meals, breakfast items, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, burgers, children's menu and cakes
- Wheelchairs
- Available to borrow
- Dogs
- Well-behaved dogs on leads welcome in all areas except inside the museum café
- Worth knowing
- Up to 3 children free with a full-price adult ticket
- Wednesdays are closed all year, so don't turn up expecting the museum open
- Last entry is an hour before closing, 4:30pm summer and 3:30pm winter
- Carers get free entry
- Gift Aid your ticket with a 10% top-up if you want to help the charity, it gets no government funding
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£13.95 for an adult, £7 per child aged 4 to 16 in summer. Up to three children go free with one full-price adult ticket, and under-4s are always free.
Do we need to book ahead?
No booking is needed, you can just turn up during opening hours.
What are the opening hours?
In summer it's 10am to 5pm most days, closed on Wednesdays. Winter hours from 3 November are 10am to 4pm, with last entry an hour before closing.
Is the Walled Garden open all year?
It's a summer-season feature only and reopens from 3 November for winter, so check which bit of the calendar you're visiting in.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
Under-4s go free and the woodland paths and garden are easy enough for little legs, though some of the medieval Undercroft and ruined areas aren't fully accessible with a buggy.
Is there parking?
Free parking across three car parks, including a main visitor centre car park, an overflow for event days, and a smaller one by the Walled Garden in summer. Blue badge spaces are reserved.
What food is available?
The Brooke Café does hot and cold meals, breakfasts, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, burgers and cakes, with a children's menu and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Can we bring the dog?
Dogs on leads are welcome everywhere except inside the café, and there's outdoor seating if you want to sit with them.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Mostly yes, with lifts, ramps and accessible toilets, and wheelchairs available to borrow. Some original medieval areas and the archaeological ruins aren't fully accessible though.
Do you do group discounts or memberships?
Discounted entry is available for advance group bookings of over 12 people, and there are membership packages for individuals, joint adults and families.
What's the Halloween trail?
It's called Grumpy Pumpkins, a seasonal trail with puzzles and games around the grounds.
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