A talk and tour of the ruins, museum and walled garden

A talk and tour of the Norton Priory ruins and a visit to the museum.  After lunch, we had a tour of the walled garden with the Head Gardener.

Norton Priory was established as an Augustinian foundation in the 12th century and raised to status of Abbey in 1391.  It was closed under the Dissolution of the monasteries in 1536.  Since 1971 it has become the largest monastic site in Europe to be excavated by modern methods.  A museum, opened in 2016, contains a great number of artefacts.  Alongside the priory ruins is a magnificent Georgian walled garden of 2.5 acres, home to the National Quince Collection.