Norton Priory Museum and Gardens

The history of Norton Priory covers 900 years, having first been established in 1115, prior to moving to the current site in 1134. In 1391, the site became a mitred Abbey, which is thought to be when the twice-life size statue of St Christopher may have been commissioned. This statue is internationally significant and today is housed in the atrium. Following the Dissolution of the monasteries in 1536, the site was purchased by the Brooke family in 1545. The Brookes remained at Norton until 1921. Today the site is an accredited museum, with orchards and abundant natural habitats, a continuing story of archaeology and a research partner with a number of UK universities.

Norton Priory offers access to unique indoor and outdoor spaces, providing an unexpected oasis for attendees. The site is close to Runcorn station (3 miles) and Warrington Bank Quay main line station (6.5 miles), is situated off Daresbury Expressway (A558 and is easily accessible from M56 and M62. Plentiful free car parking is available at the site and there is flexibility for catering options as required, ranging from buffets from the on-site café, to external caterers and bar services for larger events and sit-down meals. The visitor centre is fully accessible and includes meeting spaces, a café and modern restroom facilities for visitors.

The on-site café can provide buffet catering, bacon sandwiches for breakfast meetings, quiches, cakes etc. Coffee, tea and biscuits can also be provided. For fully meals or more bespoke buffets, we have a range of outside caterers we can recommend, or clients are welcome to source their own catering solutions - even the medieval undercroft can be used to provide a very bespoke private dining experience with sufficient notice too.

Meeting Space Highlight 1: Medieval Undercroft
This is a unique and distinctive space at the heart of Norton Priory’s story. Constructed sometime after 1160, this medieval series of rooms provides an atmospheric backdrop for dinners, conferences, product launches and awards. This space can also be transformed into an unforgettable dance floor. The main room has a Victorian tiled floor, restored in 2016, with a non-functional fireplace set at one end, and double glass arched doors opening onto the excavated medieval remains of the monastic complex. This direct access to outdoor spaces provides an additional facet to the space.

This main room is accessed via a Victorian porch, constructed in 1868 as the grand main entrance to the Georgian mansion house which stood on this site until 1928. Two archways lead from the porch into the main room of the Undercroft, one of which is considered the finest Norman arch in Cheshire, with the other being a Victorian copy.

Leading off to the left of the main room of the Undercroft is a second slightly smaller room, with a flagged stone floor and the original medieval architectural features. This room also includes brick Georgian wine bins which were by the Brooke family. This space can be used as additional seating space for diners or as a bar space.

Further off to the right of this ‘cellar’ room is a short passageway which would have been one of the original entrances to the monastic complex and which retains the stone seating along both sides of the walls, where medieval visitors would have been asked to wait for an audience with an abbot or a canon.

AV Equipment included: Projector and screen. Bluetooth single portable 200W speaker. Set of up to 6 colour uplighters if required.

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Meeting Space Highlight 2 – room name: Atrium

The visitor centre atrium is a double-height, contemporary flexible space, which includes the Victorian porch. For larger events, it can be used in conjunction with the Undercroft, as the two are connected via the Victorian porch and the access door to the passageway.

It can be used for dinners, award ceremonies, conferences, music and drama performances. The atrium houses an internationally significant fourteenth-century statue of St. Christopher, which has been displayed at TATE London and features in the ‘Green Knowe’ series of classic children’s books by Lucy M. Boston.

The space, which features underfloor heating, looks stunning as evening falls, with LED colour-changeable lighting fitted to the alcove which houses St. Christopher, four uplighters in the floor along the façade of the Victorian porch and discreet cabinet lighting for the museum exhibits.

AV Equipment included: Projector and screen. Bluetooth single portable 200W speaker. Set of up to 6 colour uplighters if required