Norton Priory chooses Cheshire design firm for 900th birthday makeover

Mather & Co., the Wilmslow-based design consultancy, is set to transform the museum at Norton Priory in Runcorn as the site prepares to celebrate its 900th birthday.

The firm was selected for the revamp by Norton Priory Museum and Gardens, together with Halton Borough Council, as part of a wider scheme to conserve and create new museum space at the historical abbey.

As part of its work at the site, Mather & Co. will create open displays for previously stored-away medieval artefacts in the museum’s collection, many of which were discovered during excavations in the 1970s and 1980s.

The redevelopment of Norton Priory will also include preservation work on the masonry and flooring found in its Grade I-listed undercroft, which dates back to the 12th Century

The managing director at Mather & Co., Chris Mather, said: “We are thrilled to have been commissioned by Norton Priory for this project.

“It’s great to be working with a local organisation and Mather & Co. has the expertise to create an engaging visitor experience and allow Norton Priory to live up to its full potential as a fantastic tourist destination in the North West.”

The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as a number of arts and conservation organisations, including The Wellcome Trust, Foyle Foundation, Garfield Weston, Granada Foundation, WREN, the Pilgrim Trust, Wolfson Foundation and Arts Council England.

Norton Priory’s director, Frank Hargrave, commented: “We were very impressed with Mather & Co.’s previous work and feel that they were the right agency to bring our visions for the museum to life through their design.

“We’re also very pleased to have them on board in elevating Norton Priory to its full potential as a tourist site in the North West.”

Last month, Mather & Co. secured a brief to lead a multi-million pound revamp of the Quarry Bank Mill in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

The Norton Priory museum is due to reopen in Summer 2016.