Norton Priory plans fruit tree centre after £79,800 grant

Norton Priory Museum and Gardens in Runcorn has launched the scheme with the aim of creating a 'Northern Centre of Excellence for Fruit Trees' dedicated to fruit tree research, learning and innovation.

The project has been made possible by a £79,800 grant from the INEOS Environment Fund.

Apple blossom in the orchards at Norton Priory (Image: Norton Priory)

Rob Sanderson-Thomas, chief executive of Norton Priory, said: "Fruit trees have been a familiar part of this landscape for many centuries, and we believe they have an important role to play in its future too.

"Our National Collection of Tree Quince, our heritage apples, our growing ‘library’ of fruit trees and the unique history of this remarkable place give us the foundations to create a new, important horticultural hub for Northern England."

The funding will allow Norton Priory to explore ways of expanding its existing orchards and transforming a disused yard and outbuildings into a horticultural centre focused on fruit trees.

The Walled Garden Orchard at Norton Priory (Image: Norton Priory)

Plans include refurbishing the Georgian walled garden, the Grade II-listed icehouse and the Victorian coach house to bring them back into meaningful use again.

Norton Priory’s history of fruit tree cultivation spans more than 900 years, from its origins as a medieval priory to its later life as a Georgian stately home.

The site already houses the National Collection of Tree Quince, alongside many local heritage apple varieties from Cheshire and Lancashire, as well as pears, figs, damsons, mulberries and even a kiwi vine.

One of the Walled Garden buildings included in the refurbishment project (Image: Norton Priory)

The project will also focus on new and existing orchards across the 42-acre estate, including Eleanor’s Orchard, a recently planted orchard on medieval ridge-and-furrow land behind the walled garden.

This initial research phase, supported by Halton Borough Council, will help Norton Priory develop a costed action plan in preparation for a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Mr Sanderson-Thomas said: "This is about much more than planting trees.

Apple trees being planted in the Oldfield Orchard at Norton Priory (Image: Norton Priory)

"It’s about celebrating the people behind them, bringing our history to life, supporting nature and exploring how we breathe new life into these precious, historic buildings.

"The £79,800 investment gives us the opportunity to turn that ambition into a properly researched and tested plan."

Councillor Dave Thompson, Halton Borough Council’s executive board member for communities and neighbourhoods, said: "We’re excited about these plans and the opportunity to build on one of the many features that make Norton Priory so special.

"By celebrating its unique heritage and making the most of what is already there, we can breathe new life into underused spaces and create a centre of excellence and innovation, ensuring the site continues to grow.

“This funding is a welcome boost that will help turn a shared vision into reality, and we look forward to seeing these ambitious plans come to life and the many opportunities they will create as the project bears fruit."