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 Norton
Priory Museum & Garden 29th April
2012 10.30am - 3pm
Free entry to fair |
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Norton Priory Museum & Gardens is a fantastic day out, with an award winning museum, excavated medieval ruins, the spectacular St Christopher statue, the lovely Walled Garden and the extensive woodland and sculpture trail. The 2½ 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 Entry to the plant fair is free. As a special offer for the day of the plant fair only entry to the walled garden is just £2.50 Entry to other attractions is optional at normal prices. As an added attraction there will be a guided Bluebell Walk led by Paul Oldfield in the afternoon, starting from the Walled Garden. Full details to follow. Nurseries confirmed so far include:
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. Telephone: 01928 569895. There is free car parking.
Photographs above © 2009 Plant Hunters' Fairs all rights reserved |
Photographs above © 2008 Norton Priory Museum Trust used by kind permission |
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