Birkenhead Priory & St Mary's Tower

24/06/2026

Good evening everyone. We hope that you’re all taking extra care of yourselves during this exceptionally hot weather. Tomorrow’s due to be a scorcher.

If you’ve decided to come out for the afternoon, Birkenhead Priory is THE place to be when it’s hot outside. There are lots of shaded, cool areas inside and outside on our fascinating site AND our ancient sandstone buildings are perfect for anyone needing to escape the heat.

Photo below of our “medieval fridge”, the Undercroft (Priory Museum) where food and tools were stored by the monks. We also host the oldest standing building on Merseyside, our breathtaking Chapter House built in 1150, where visitors can cool off and learn our incredible history.

The Great Hall also offers shelter from the sun and shade in addition to other areas on site.

Whatever you decide to do during this hot and humid time, we hope that you and your pets stay safe, hydrated and protected from the heat.

Best wishes

Photos by Samantha Higgins

22/06/2026

It’s COOLING down on Sunday (thankfully) and we’re looking forward to the FIRST of our five free SUNDAY SESSIONS for 2026!

THIS Sunday 28th June from 2pm to 4pm, we’re privileged to have IGLOO HEARTS for a FREE live concert upstairs inside our stunning monk’s Refectory c.1200’s.

(Thankfully the temperatures are dropping to 17 to 20 degrees on Sunday too!)

FREE ENTRY. (Cash donations accepted).

No need to book.

IGLOO HEARTS are a fantastic singer songwriting duo featuring piano, guitar and vocal harmonies.
GENRE: Folk & Contemporary.
Support from NATHAN STEPHENS aka Vou Vou Wyld - Vocals & guitar.

REFRESHMENTS served from 1.00pm for CASH ONLY.

NB Access to the Refectory is via STEPS.

SUNDAY SESSIONS 2026 will run from Sunday June 28th to Sunday July 26th from 2pm to 4pm.

19/06/2026

UPDATE: St Mary’s Tower is now OPEN to visitors.

We’re happy to announce that St Mary’s Tower on the Birkenhead Priory site is now open only hours after it was closed. Many thanks to the excellent and swift response for a minor repair.

In addition to exploring our exceptional, nearly 900 year old Priory site, visitors can climb St Mary’s Tower to achieve spectacular 360* views of the Liverpool skyline, the River Mersey, Cammell Laird’s shipyards & beyond.

Photo below of the view by Samantha Higgins.

17/06/2026

UPDATE: ST MARY’S TOWER IS NOW OPEN!

Please note: The viewing platform of St Mary’s Tower is currently closed for repairs.

Access is available to the Tower and the Thetis memorial and you can still achieve wonderful 360 degree views from the windows.

Apologies for any disappointment caused.

Birkenhead Priory is OPEN as usual.

Photo of St Mary’s Tower and facade by Samantha Higgins

16/06/2026

Our Sunday Sessions are being promoted by The Wirral Globe. See article below:

Have you been to an event at the priory? 👀

15/06/2026

SUNDAY SESSIONS 2026 Schedule:

From Sunday June 28th to Sunday July 26th from 2pm to 4pm, Birkenhead Priory will be offering five FREE live music concerts inside our stunning monk’s Refectory c.1200’s.

Our Sunday Sessions this year feature a variety of musical genres so there’ll hopefully be “Something For Everyone”.

No need to book.

Refreshments are served for CASH ONLY from 1.00pm.

NB The monk’s Refectory is located UPSTAIRS with no lift access.

SUNDAY SESSIONS PROGRAMME:

1. Sunday June 28th - 2pm to 4pm.
IGLOO HEARTS - Stunning singer songwriting duo featuring piano, guitar and vocal harmonies. Session opened by singer songwriter Nathan Stephens.
GENRE: Folk & Contemporary.

2. Sunday July 5th - 2pm to 4pm.
GRACE ELIZABETH HARVEY - Award winning singer songwriter, guitarist, cellist.
GENRE: Grassroots folk & contemporary.

3. Sunday July 12th - 2pm to 4pm.
ELEANOR KELLY & MIKE HUGHES. Exceptional classical and Spanish guitar and vibraphone. Including debut performance by Henry Alexander.
GENRE: Classical, Samba, Spanish & Jazz.

4. Sunday July 19th - 2pm to 4pm.
CALLI HUGHES TRIO - Beautiful vocals & Guitars.
GENRE: “Something for everyone”. Covers including Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, etc.

5. Sunday July 26th - 2pm to 4pm.
THE TREE GNOMES - Original & traditional Celtic tunes on violin, mandolin and flute with vocal harmonies from this fabulous mother and daughter duo.
GENRE: Celtic, Folk, Irish Traditional.

Images below of artists featured this year.

14/06/2026

ANNOUNCEMENT:
We’re very happy to announce that our annual SUNDAY SESSIONS are coming very soon! (Only two weeks to go).

They’ll begin on Sunday 28th June until Sunday July 26th from 2pm to 4pm so save the dates in your diary so you don’t miss them.

Watch this space for programme details this week!

Photo below by Alan Blundell a couple of weeks ago for the one off concert by Katie Nicholas, Cael Oak and Anna Corcoran inside our beautiful monk’s Refectory.

14/06/2026

Looking through old photographs this evening we came across this shot of our breathtaking (and original) Chapter House at Birkenhead Priory and thought we’d share it with you. Built in 1150 and the oldest standing building on Merseyside, our Chapter House is still used as a church for services and weddings and is a truly beautiful chapel. A place of peace. Concerts are also held in this unique space at Christmas and other times throughout the year.

The Chapter House was originally a meeting place for the silent Benedictine monks of Birkenhead and their self elected Prior who met each morning here to plan their day and welcome new novices. They were allowed to speak for a few moments in this space each day.

King Edward 1 (Longshanks) and his entourage of approximately 600 men visited Birkenhead Priory twice in 1275 & 1277. He met inside the Chapter House between July 31st and August 4th 1277 with the Bishop of Durham and envoys from the King of Scotland to discuss Welsh border disputes and to decide how the borders of England, Scotland and Wales should be settled. A very important meeting in a Chapter House that stands unchanged by time after nearly 900 years.

For newcomers, Birkenhead Priory was founded in 1150 by Baron Hamo de Massey.

The monks of Birkenhead Priory ran the first “ferry across the Mersey” twice a day from 1150 until 1536 rowing across often perilous waters due to the currents and tides of the River Mersey. They farmed the land, fished, provided alms and free hospitality to those in need and dedicated their lives to their own spiritual development and prayer. There was also an infirmary here where they tended to the sick and injured.

SUMMER OPENING HOURS:
Wednesday to Friday: 1pm to 5pm AND
Saturdays & Sundays: 10am to 5pm
St Mary’s Tower is locked at 4.30pm.

FREE ENTRY. Cash donations accepted.

FREE Guided Tours. Cash donations accepted.

GROUPS of 8+ must book via: [email protected]

SCHOOLS need to book via: [email protected]

DOGS on leads welcome to all areas.

Photo by Samantha Higgins.

08/06/2026

What a beautiful sunny afternoon we’re having on the Wirral today!

A few weeks ago, (during our packed concert at Birkenhead Priory with Katie Nicholas & Cael Oak), Alan Blundel snapped some wonderful photos and kindly shared them with us.

During his visit to Birkenhead Priory, he couldn’t resist climbing St Mary’s Tower on our site and taking some incredible shots of the Liverpool skyline from up there. We thought that we’d share them with you today.

During opening times, Priory visitors can climb the 101 steps to the top of St Mary’s Tower to achieve spectacular 360 degree views of the surrounding area including the Liverpool waterfront, along the River Mersey and also Cammell Laird’s shipyards next door.

St Mary’s Tower and facade are all that remain of the first parish church of Birkenhead built from 1819 and demolished in 1974. The Tower and facade were thankfully saved due to their cast iron windows and filigree and are now a Grade 1 listed building.

St Mary’s Tower also stands in memorial to the tragic lives lost onboard the HMS Thetis submarine during its WW2 pre war trials of June 1939 in Liverpool Bay. Each of the 101 steps to the top bears a brass plaque with the name and occupation of every man lost on that terrible day.

PRIORY OPENING HOURS:
Wednesday to Friday 1pm to 5pm AND
Saturday & Sunday 10am to 5pm.
St Mary’s Tower is locked at 4.30pm each day.

FREE ENTRY. Cash donations accepted.

Free Guided Tours when staff or volunteers available. (Cash donations accepted).

Guided Tours for GROUPS of 8+ need to pre book via [email protected]

Dogs on leads welcome to all areas of our incredible, nearly 900 year old Priory site (1150 to 1536).

The first photo below of St Mary’s Tower from the Priory grounds by Samantha Higgins.
Photo 2 & 3 from the top of St Mary’s Tower by Alan Blundell.

30/05/2026

Today we celebrated National Greyhound Day 2026 at Birkenhead Priory with the support of Home Run Hounds North West and also SPINOFFS. Free entry.

Almost 100 sighthounds PARADED around our ancient Priory site in honour of Prior Henri de Becheton 1348. (See story in previous posts).

We held a Best Dressed Sighthound Contest with prizes donated by Priory staff and were entertained by the wonderful seven piece acoustic band, SPINOFFS.

Thank you all so much.

As nearly 100 of these “gentle giants” paraded peacefully with their families, I wondered what Prior Henri himself might have thought if he’d seen so many of his beloved hounds walking so freely within his Priory grounds and also the hundreds of people remembering and honouring him in such a beautiful and apt way.

The images below are a mixture of stills from video, excellent photos from Paul Rowlands and Joanne Johnson, Alexandrine Charlotte Penny and some by Samantha Higgins. (See if you can find yourself).

Best Dressed Contest Winners:
1st: Sherlock Bones The Great Dogtective
2nd: Pope Pauline
3rd: Wally The Dog Cow