The Treasure of Cheshire, Greatdays journey into Wonderland

Monastery to Mansion

It was a cold and wet January day in Cheshire.   Jenny from Day Trips and Katharine from UK Product Development made the small hop from the office to Norton Priory in Runcorn. This is the most excavated monastic site in Europe. The fascinating museum is newly refurbished thanks to a substantial Lottery grant.  See Nortons story emerge, from its foundation in 1134 through to its dissolution and later transformation into a Georgian manor house and estate. One highlight was the huge 14^th century statue of St Christopher.  Thanks to the wonders of modern audio visual technology,  it has been beautifully enhanced by projecting the original bright coloured paint effects directly onto the sandstone.   The visitor centre is light and spacious and very group friendly!  We highly recommend a visit.  On a bright day it is a delight to explore the extensive grounds and gardens.

Birthplace of a National Treasure

From Norton, we took a trip to Wonderland.  All Saints Church in Daresbury is the home of the Lewis Carroll Visitor Centre   Stepping through the ancient church gate the atmosphere was magical. We made our way through the leafy church yard to the visitor centre.   Groups can enjoy a warm welcome here from the curator Susan White.  A talking point is the specially crafted stained glass window in the chapel, dedicated to Lewis Carroll.  Carroll is the famous son of a former minister of the church.  Indeed his birthplace, although now just foundations, is just a couple of miles away.  The team of dedicated volunteers can rustle up a delicious homemade afternooon tea for groups. Perfect for any Mad Hatters tea party!

The Lewis Carroll Stained Glass Window, Daresbury Church

So if your group is hungry for history or wistful for wonderland, visit our Day Trips pages, where you will find Through the looking Glass and From Norman to Georgian.  Both great value days out for all groups that even include lunch.  For more information, contact our Day Trips team on 0161 928 2001