Welcome
Welcome to the website of the Norman Nicholson Society. The site aims to provide information about Nicholson and his work and encourage the study and enjoyment of this remarkable man's writings. Here you will also find information about the NN Society which holds regular events and publishes the newsletter Comet. The Society is based in Millom, on the banks of the River Duddon and in the shadow of Black Combe, and has a worldwide membership.
MembershipNew members of the Norman Nicholson Society are warmly welcomed. Membership fees are £15 per annum or £20 for a couple living at the same address, and £6 youth membership (up to age 25). Check out benefits of membership here, including how to access the Members' exclusive area of this website. Please contact us at [email protected]
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Norman Nicholson
Norman Nicholson was born in Millom, Cumbria, in 1914 and lived there until his death in 1987 with the exception of two years in his late teens when he was sent to a sanatorium in Hampshire to recover from tuberculosis - an event which shaped his subsequent life. His writing career lasted from 1930 until his death and embraced plays, poetry, novels, criticism and essays. He is best known for his poetry and was awarded the Queen's Medal for Poetry in 1977 and the OBE in 1981.
Read an appreciation of Norman Nicholson by Fran Baker, former archivist at the John Rylands University of Manchester Library, HERE. Most frequently-asked question: Where can I get hold of Nicholson's work? Very sadly the Greetings shop in Lapstone Road, Millom, which had a range of Nicholson books in stock, has closed. Try Faber & Faber HERE or Amazon HERE, or click HERE for links to Nicholson's poems online. If you know of a shop currently selling NN's work, please let us know. |
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Get out and about with our three Nicholson walking trails! Go to Google Play or the App Store and search for 'Norman Nicholson's Millom'
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Find out about the Norman Nicholson House Project HERE
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LATEST NEWS
A Millom 'Pilgrimage' - Saturday September 5th, 2026
Map of suggested route for the 'walk with intention'
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Booking is now open for the Society's late summer event: 'A Millom Pilgrimage'.
This non-secular introduction to the wellsprings of much of Nicholson's inspiration will take place on Saturday, 5th September between 10.40am and approximately 4.30pm, with an optional starting time of 10.00am for those who would like to attend a Morning Prayer service at St. George's Church, Millom, which was Nicholson's lifelong Parish Church, the place of his baptism, confirmation, marriage and funeral service. The other church which will feature in this pilgrimage day is Millom's ancient Church of the Holy Trinity, on the outskirts of the town. This event allows contemplation of themes in Norman Nicholson's work in the locations he knew. Nicholson's Christian faith was of great importance to him and he recorded, in several texts, how this was lost in his teenage years, and the found again in the 1930s. The natural, social and environmental concerns which drove his faith also drove his work. The pilgrimage or 'walk with intention' provides an opportunity to contemplate these concerns in places where they occurred to Nicholson. The pilgrimage walk is optional and follows a route between the two sites of the event. It is open to those of any or no faith. |
The outline of the day is as follows:
St George’s Church, Millom
10.00am (entirely optional) Morning Prayer service conducted by Revd. Graham Hollowood. This will be in 'traditional' language as used in the Book of Common Prayer and so will convey some of 'the lovely platitudes of Cranmer' so appreciated by Nicholson, which he first experienced at St George's.
10.40am Early elevenses will commence at with coffee and conclude by 11.00am.
This will be followed by a talk on 'Nicholson’s work, faith and foundations' for contemplation on a short pilgrimage to Holy Trinity Church. The talk will be based on Nicholson's 1966 essay in They Became Christians (ed. Dewi Morgan). This account considers influences on his faith and his own 'parochial pilgrim's progress'.
Guidance on walking 'with intention' as pilgrims do will be shared too.
The pilgrimage will begin around noon from St George’s Church and pilgrims can assemble to venerate the ancient Holy Trinity Church. The pilgrimage can be on foot as indicated on the map, or by Salthouse Road on continuous pavements, or by road.
The routes are less than 2km, taken at a leisurely pace, but by interesting and varied terrain familiar to Nicholson with notes supplied on his connections on both routes.
Lunch can be taken en route, packed in advance, or sourced from excellent local providers. Refreshments will be available at Holy Trinity Church.
Holy Trinity Church, Millom
On reaching the Church, there will be time to venerate the ancient place.
2.00pm An introduction to the antiquities and origins of the Church, by the Church Wardens.
Further talks will include mention of Nicholson's connections with the Old Church - the only church when his family arrived in Millom in the 1860's, as well as connections with other artists. The Western 'fish' window, rediscovered in the 1850's and now due for restoration will be discussed. The fish window was an important symbol for Nicholson, a drawing of which, possibly by his own hand, became the basis for his well-known book plate.
3.30pm Tea to be enjoyed with discussion of some of Nicholson's poems.
4.30pm Return to St George’s by optional alternative route to Holborn Hill via Church Walk to form a circular walking route and showing connections to the Western Lakes Pilgrims Way.
Booking is open from today, 16th August 2026, through to 4.00pm on Thursday 3rd September 2026. Please send an email to [email protected] stating your name and giving details of your interest in the event.
It is important to book with us so that, for practical reasons, we know who will be attending. The event is free of charge but donations to the churches to cover the cost of refreshments and to the Society are greatly encouraged.
Posted: 16/08/2026
St George’s Church, Millom
10.00am (entirely optional) Morning Prayer service conducted by Revd. Graham Hollowood. This will be in 'traditional' language as used in the Book of Common Prayer and so will convey some of 'the lovely platitudes of Cranmer' so appreciated by Nicholson, which he first experienced at St George's.
10.40am Early elevenses will commence at with coffee and conclude by 11.00am.
This will be followed by a talk on 'Nicholson’s work, faith and foundations' for contemplation on a short pilgrimage to Holy Trinity Church. The talk will be based on Nicholson's 1966 essay in They Became Christians (ed. Dewi Morgan). This account considers influences on his faith and his own 'parochial pilgrim's progress'.
Guidance on walking 'with intention' as pilgrims do will be shared too.
The pilgrimage will begin around noon from St George’s Church and pilgrims can assemble to venerate the ancient Holy Trinity Church. The pilgrimage can be on foot as indicated on the map, or by Salthouse Road on continuous pavements, or by road.
The routes are less than 2km, taken at a leisurely pace, but by interesting and varied terrain familiar to Nicholson with notes supplied on his connections on both routes.
Lunch can be taken en route, packed in advance, or sourced from excellent local providers. Refreshments will be available at Holy Trinity Church.
Holy Trinity Church, Millom
On reaching the Church, there will be time to venerate the ancient place.
2.00pm An introduction to the antiquities and origins of the Church, by the Church Wardens.
Further talks will include mention of Nicholson's connections with the Old Church - the only church when his family arrived in Millom in the 1860's, as well as connections with other artists. The Western 'fish' window, rediscovered in the 1850's and now due for restoration will be discussed. The fish window was an important symbol for Nicholson, a drawing of which, possibly by his own hand, became the basis for his well-known book plate.
3.30pm Tea to be enjoyed with discussion of some of Nicholson's poems.
4.30pm Return to St George’s by optional alternative route to Holborn Hill via Church Walk to form a circular walking route and showing connections to the Western Lakes Pilgrims Way.
Booking is open from today, 16th August 2026, through to 4.00pm on Thursday 3rd September 2026. Please send an email to [email protected] stating your name and giving details of your interest in the event.
It is important to book with us so that, for practical reasons, we know who will be attending. The event is free of charge but donations to the churches to cover the cost of refreshments and to the Society are greatly encouraged.
Posted: 16/08/2026
Sad news: Philip George Gardner - January 23rd 1936 - November 8th 2025
We have recently been made aware of the death of Professor Philip Gardner, who passed away at his home in Ottawa, Canada, on November 8th 2025.
Philip Gardner was a distinguished academic, a literary critic, and a highly regarded poet whose 1969 thesis on the poetry and drama of Norman Nicholson laid the foundation stone for Nicholson Studies. He first contacted Nicholson about his poetry as an undergraduate at the University of Cambridge and went on to study his work at graduate level at the University of Liverpool.
The relationship with Nicholson grew into one of real friendship and Gardner was able to use private materials for his work which have since been lost or destroyed. This makes his thesis not only an important and foundational work of criticism on Nicholson, but a valuable source of information which we would otherwise not have.
The Norman Nicholson Society deeply regrets Professor Gardner's loss and sends our sincere condolences and sympathy to his surviving family and friends. A tribute to Professor Gardner's work will appear in a forthcoming issue of The New Comet.
Posted: 8th August 2026
Norman and Yvonne's Platinum Wedding Anniversary Commemorated in Exhibition at St. George's Church, Millom
Norman Nicholson's marriage to schoolteacher Yvonne Gardner took place exactly 70 years ago, on July 5th, 1956, at St. George's Church, Millom. Norman shared many interests with Yvonne, including a love of poetry and drama, and had first met her at the church where they were to marry. The relationship blossomed when Yvonne consulted him about his verse drama The Old Man of the Mountains, in preparation for a production of the play which she was to put on with her drama group. It was a happy marriage and Yvonne was a great support and inspiration to the poet, proofreading his typescripts, driving him to readings all over the country, even performing with him on occasion. Indeed, Yvonne learned to drive and bought a car specifically to help Norman once they were married!
Part of the Wedding Anniversary Display. Photo by Sue Dawson.
Our Chair, Jonathan Powell, and our Schools and Community Officer, Sue Dawson, have put together an interesting and beautiful exhibition to celebrate the marriage of two highly creative and talented individuals. The display case contains some lovely photos of the couple and their immediate family, a copy of the wedding certificate, and a beautiful replica of the wedding bouquet that Yvonne carried.
The exhibition is on display at St. George's Church for the indefinite future. The church is open most days at 9.30am and closes at 4.00pm. You can find contact details for the church here. All visitors are welcome.
UPDATE
We have an interesting update on the exhibition at St. George's Church to share with you.
Items in the display include a Percy Kelly image of The Woolpack Inn, In Eskdale, where Norman and Yvonne spent their three-day honeymoon, and a photo of the clay bust of Norman Nicholson by the renowned sculptor Josefina de Vasconcellos, which she created in preparation for her bronze bust of Norman, given as a wedding present to Norman and Yvonne by Josefina and her husband, the artist Delmar Banner. The clay bust is now in the possession of The Wordsworth Trust.
There are also an update on the 'wedding bouquet'. Our Schools and Community Officer, Sue Dawson, created the corsage displayed in the photo above, with the help of Nicola Armstrong of The Bloom Room, Millom. The corsage is in typical 1950s style and includes a pink rose, maidenhair fern and gypsophila, with loops of pure white ribbon included in the arrangement. The rose was chosen to complement the colour of Yvonne's suit, which was pink.
Yvonne was a practical, creative, modern woman, and the pink wedding suit is likely to have had many further outings.
Posted 5th July 2026; updated 12th July 2026
Part of the Wedding Anniversary Display. Photo by Sue Dawson.
Our Chair, Jonathan Powell, and our Schools and Community Officer, Sue Dawson, have put together an interesting and beautiful exhibition to celebrate the marriage of two highly creative and talented individuals. The display case contains some lovely photos of the couple and their immediate family, a copy of the wedding certificate, and a beautiful replica of the wedding bouquet that Yvonne carried.
The exhibition is on display at St. George's Church for the indefinite future. The church is open most days at 9.30am and closes at 4.00pm. You can find contact details for the church here. All visitors are welcome.
UPDATE
We have an interesting update on the exhibition at St. George's Church to share with you.
Items in the display include a Percy Kelly image of The Woolpack Inn, In Eskdale, where Norman and Yvonne spent their three-day honeymoon, and a photo of the clay bust of Norman Nicholson by the renowned sculptor Josefina de Vasconcellos, which she created in preparation for her bronze bust of Norman, given as a wedding present to Norman and Yvonne by Josefina and her husband, the artist Delmar Banner. The clay bust is now in the possession of The Wordsworth Trust.
There are also an update on the 'wedding bouquet'. Our Schools and Community Officer, Sue Dawson, created the corsage displayed in the photo above, with the help of Nicola Armstrong of The Bloom Room, Millom. The corsage is in typical 1950s style and includes a pink rose, maidenhair fern and gypsophila, with loops of pure white ribbon included in the arrangement. The rose was chosen to complement the colour of Yvonne's suit, which was pink.
Yvonne was a practical, creative, modern woman, and the pink wedding suit is likely to have had many further outings.
Posted 5th July 2026; updated 12th July 2026
Norman Nicholson featured at the Alliance of Literary Societies' AGM Conference at Bedales School, Hampshire
The NNS Display at Bedales School for the ALS AGM Conference hosted by the Edward Thomas Fellowship. Photo by Glenn Lang.
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Another view of the NNS Display. Photo by Glenn Lang.
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The Norman Nicholson Society was represented at the recent Alliance of Literary Societies' Conference and AGM Gathering by committee members Antoinette Fawcett and Glenn Lang (NN Society Secretary). This year's ALS Conference Weekend took place from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th May and was hosted by the Edward Thomas Fellowship at Bedales School, Steep, Hampshire and at the Edward Thomas Study Centre in Petersfield. We were given a very warm welcome by the Chair of the Edward Thomas Fellowship, Jeremy Mitchell, and his partner Deirdre, who ensured that our invitations to our own conference next year, to be held at Grange-over-Sands and Millom, were included in the conference packs.
Antoinette had prepared a new tabletop exhibition about Norman Nicholson and the Society, which was extremely well received. This will form a good basis for future exhibitions on Nicholson's life, place and work and the inspiration that his writings have given to other writers, artists, musicians and composers.
After welcomes from Jeremy Mitchell, Chair of the Edward Thomas Fellowship, Marty Ross, Chair of the ALS and Will Goldsmith, Head of Bedales School, the conference itself featured excellent talks from the ALS President and BBC presenter James Naughtie, Nick Denton on Edward Thomas's Field Notebooks, Dr. Elizabeth Black on Thomas and the Idea of Home, and a wonderfully lively and informative dramatic monologue by Jonathan Jones in which 'Edward Thomas' spoke about his life and work.
The conference concluded with a brief talk by Antoinette Fawcett, giving information about our own poet and writer and inviting the ALS delegates to next year's event. Put the dates in your diaries to ensure that you will be able to attend our event next year: Friday May 14th - Sunday May 16th 2027, hosted by The Norman Nicholson Society at The Netherwood Hotel, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria.
Posted: 01.06.2026
Antoinette had prepared a new tabletop exhibition about Norman Nicholson and the Society, which was extremely well received. This will form a good basis for future exhibitions on Nicholson's life, place and work and the inspiration that his writings have given to other writers, artists, musicians and composers.
After welcomes from Jeremy Mitchell, Chair of the Edward Thomas Fellowship, Marty Ross, Chair of the ALS and Will Goldsmith, Head of Bedales School, the conference itself featured excellent talks from the ALS President and BBC presenter James Naughtie, Nick Denton on Edward Thomas's Field Notebooks, Dr. Elizabeth Black on Thomas and the Idea of Home, and a wonderfully lively and informative dramatic monologue by Jonathan Jones in which 'Edward Thomas' spoke about his life and work.
The conference concluded with a brief talk by Antoinette Fawcett, giving information about our own poet and writer and inviting the ALS delegates to next year's event. Put the dates in your diaries to ensure that you will be able to attend our event next year: Friday May 14th - Sunday May 16th 2027, hosted by The Norman Nicholson Society at The Netherwood Hotel, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria.
Posted: 01.06.2026
Textile Art Competition! One month to go...
With one month left of our textile art illustration competition, we have already had some incredible pieces. We are looking forward to the rest coming in!
Through-Stone and Thread is a wonderful collection, offering tribute to Norman Nicholson and Kenneth Dow Barker's pamphlet Stitch and Stone. It's a celebration of a Cumbrian Landscape as we see it today, inspired by Nicholson's enduring legacy.
How would you illustrate, in textile, a Cumbrian Landscape? There's a month left, and further details can be found on Instagram (Alder and Wiza), Facebook (Wyverns Press) or by emailing [email protected]
Through-stone and Thread is a collaborative venture, initiated by Norman Nicholson Society member Susan Cartwright-Smith (Carlisle Writers). The first stage of the project saw contemporary Cumbrian poets respond to Norman Nicholson's Stitch and Stone poems, fifty years after their first publication in 1975. The second stage is an open textile art competition which responds to the spirit of locality that informed Kenneth Dow Barker's embroidered landscapes. Barker was a renowned working class folk embroiderer who had taken up embroidery as a therapy after an accident meant that he could no longer work as a roadman. His work was exhibited at the LYC Museum, near Brampton, Cumbria; at Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal; and at the Sunderland Arts Centre, where Nicholson also gave a reading of the poems.
Posted 02/05/2026
Through-Stone and Thread is a wonderful collection, offering tribute to Norman Nicholson and Kenneth Dow Barker's pamphlet Stitch and Stone. It's a celebration of a Cumbrian Landscape as we see it today, inspired by Nicholson's enduring legacy.
How would you illustrate, in textile, a Cumbrian Landscape? There's a month left, and further details can be found on Instagram (Alder and Wiza), Facebook (Wyverns Press) or by emailing [email protected]
Through-stone and Thread is a collaborative venture, initiated by Norman Nicholson Society member Susan Cartwright-Smith (Carlisle Writers). The first stage of the project saw contemporary Cumbrian poets respond to Norman Nicholson's Stitch and Stone poems, fifty years after their first publication in 1975. The second stage is an open textile art competition which responds to the spirit of locality that informed Kenneth Dow Barker's embroidered landscapes. Barker was a renowned working class folk embroiderer who had taken up embroidery as a therapy after an accident meant that he could no longer work as a roadman. His work was exhibited at the LYC Museum, near Brampton, Cumbria; at Abbot Hall Gallery, Kendal; and at the Sunderland Arts Centre, where Nicholson also gave a reading of the poems.
Posted 02/05/2026
Booking for our Spring Event - "From 'Odborough' to Walney Island" opens 1st May 2026
We're looking forward to hearing the first read-through of a new stage adaptation of Norman Nicholson's prose book Provincial Pleasures at our Spring Event on Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness. The day will also include some poetry readings and an introduction to Nicholson's links to Walney. The event is open to the public. Full details are in the news item below.
Registration will open on Friday 1st May and close on Wednesday 13th at 5.00pm. Please send an email to [email protected] to register for a place. A programme and timetable for the day will be sent to all who register.
Registration will open on Friday 1st May and close on Wednesday 13th at 5.00pm. Please send an email to [email protected] to register for a place. A programme and timetable for the day will be sent to all who register.
Provincial Pleasures: From ‘Odborough’ to Walney Island
May 16th 2026 - 10.30am to 4.00pm
Venue: Vickerstown Methodist Church
Jubilee Bridge (Walney Bridge). © Copyright David Dixon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
St. Mary's Church, Vickerstown. © Copyright Alexander P Kapp and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
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Our late Spring event will take place in-person at the Vickerstown Methodist Church on 16th May from 10.30am (registration) to 4.00pm.
The morning activity will be a reading of Norman Nicholson Society member Ann Thomson’s stage adaptation of Norman Nicholson’s prose book Provincial Pleasures. Scripts will be provided. You are welcome either as a potential reader, or just to listen if you prefer. Provincial Pleasures is an affectionate, often humorous portrait of a year in the Cumbrian coastal town Nicholson calls ‘Odborough’. ‘Ordinary’ yet splendidly quirky characters, moods ranging from celebratory to elegiac, language by turns poetic and earthy—all are underpinned by the iron-rich bedrock and the rhythms of tide and season. Ann has tried to reflect those qualities in her script, and looks forward to hearing it brought to life. After lunch the focus will be on Norman Nicholson’s writings about Walney, including his poem ‘From Walney Island’. We will also have the privilege of looking at the poem ‘Walney Island’ by contemporary poet and Walney resident Kate Davis, in the company of its author. We have also arranged to visit the nearby St Mary’s parish church with its interesting east window illustrating local life and industry. On his visits in the 1950s Nicholson used to stay at the vicarage as a guest of the Rev Jim Eckersley. Weather permitting, there may be a short walk to look out at Piel Island, which Nicholson visited by motor boat via Walney Channel. Refreshments will be provided but please bring your own packed lunch. This event is open to the public. Full details of how to register will be posted soon. All registrees will receive a programme and instructions on how to find the venue. Posted 27/04/2026 |
AGM Reports Now Available to Members
The Norman Nicholson Society Annual Reports, which will be presented in summary at our AGM on Saturday April 18th 2026, are now available for members to view on the Members' Area of our website. If you are a member and have not yet registered to access the Members' Area, please do so. The Log In | Register Button is at the top of this web-page. Please register for access using the email address you use for your Society Membership. It may take a little while to process your request.
For full details of our Online AGM and the Annual Lecture and how to register for the Zoom link, please see the article below. Please note that registration for this event will close at 5.00pm on Friday 17th April.
For full details of our Online AGM and the Annual Lecture and how to register for the Zoom link, please see the article below. Please note that registration for this event will close at 5.00pm on Friday 17th April.
Norman Nicholson Society Online AGM and Post-AGM Online Talk
Saturday April 18th 2026 @ 11.00am to 12.00 noon (AGM); 12.00 noon to 1.00pm (talk)
The Norman Nicholson Society AGM will take place online from 11.00am to 12.00 noon on Saturday April 18th. This is for members only, but non-members are warmly invited to register for our Annual Lecture, from noon to 1.00pm, presented this year by researcher and doctoral candidate Meghann Hillier-Broadley. Registration opens on Friday 10th April at 12 noon and will close on Friday 17th April at 5.00pm. Please keep an eye on our social media sites for any further updates.
Full details of Meghann's talk are below.
Reading Between the Lines: Archival Encounters with Norman Nicholson
The talk will examine how engagement with Nicholson’s letters and other archival materials has informed Meghann's research into the relationship between his Christian beliefs and his environmental perspective. Drawing on his personal correspondence, as well as lesser-known short stories uncovered in the archives, Meghann will consider how these materials deepen our understanding of his writing. The talk also reflects on the occasional surprises that arise through archival research, and the insights such encounters can offer into Nicholson’s thought and creative practice.
About the speaker
Meghann completed her MA in Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District at the University of Cumbria in 2022, and she is currently undertaking a PhD at Cumbria focusing on the writer Norman Nicholson. Her research explores the relationship between his Christian beliefs and his environmental perspective.
Above: Meghann Hillier-Broadley with her trusty companion Noah!
Posted 6th April, 2026; updated 09/04/2026
Full details of Meghann's talk are below.
Reading Between the Lines: Archival Encounters with Norman Nicholson
The talk will examine how engagement with Nicholson’s letters and other archival materials has informed Meghann's research into the relationship between his Christian beliefs and his environmental perspective. Drawing on his personal correspondence, as well as lesser-known short stories uncovered in the archives, Meghann will consider how these materials deepen our understanding of his writing. The talk also reflects on the occasional surprises that arise through archival research, and the insights such encounters can offer into Nicholson’s thought and creative practice.
About the speaker
Meghann completed her MA in Literature, Romanticism and the English Lake District at the University of Cumbria in 2022, and she is currently undertaking a PhD at Cumbria focusing on the writer Norman Nicholson. Her research explores the relationship between his Christian beliefs and his environmental perspective.
Above: Meghann Hillier-Broadley with her trusty companion Noah!
Posted 6th April, 2026; updated 09/04/2026
A sense of place: Nicholson and Millom
Joint Event with the Royal Geographical Society, Millom, Sat. 25th April 2026
Poet and writer Norman Nicholson’s sense of place is rooted in his understanding of Cumbria’s geology, and his life lived out in the same terraced house in Millom, a town at the iron-clad edge of Cumbria’s coast.
Nicholson’s writing carries lives lived in these lived-in landscapes; his topographical texts are rich in place, people, natural history, and have an environmental awareness ahead of their time.
Visiting Millom’s townscape, we will explore the geology of place and see the Norman Nicholson House CIC’s project, preserving the poet’s home for his community, and a key literary house for the nation.
Continuing into the industrial landscape of the former Hodbarrow mine, beneath the flaring memory of the now dismantled ironworks, we will explore the natural history of recovering, post-industrial landscapes – all in the near shadow of Nicholson’s muse, Black Combe.
About the leader
The walk will be led by Phil Houghton. Phil is a member of the RGS North West regional committee (Cumbria and Lancashire). He is also a long-term member of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Event information
The tour will involve walking in Millom and some uneven terrain at Hodbarrow mine. Outdoor clothing and footwear recommended. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Dogs are not permitted on this walk.
BOOKING INFORMATION
The event is open to the public. You do not need to an RGS member or a Norman Nicholson Society member to book, but there is a small charge for those who are not members of one or the other organization. Full details are on the RGS website here.
Norman Nicholson Society members should book online with the RGS at the link above and use the code which will be sent out to them. This will ensure that their places are free. They should also send an email to Brian Whalley at our membership secretary's address: [email protected]
NOTE: The meeting place will be outside the Millom Heritage and Arts Centre (the former railway station building), not outside No. 14 St. George's Terrace as described on the RGS website.
Posted 26th March 2026; updated 02/04/2026
Nicholson’s writing carries lives lived in these lived-in landscapes; his topographical texts are rich in place, people, natural history, and have an environmental awareness ahead of their time.
Visiting Millom’s townscape, we will explore the geology of place and see the Norman Nicholson House CIC’s project, preserving the poet’s home for his community, and a key literary house for the nation.
Continuing into the industrial landscape of the former Hodbarrow mine, beneath the flaring memory of the now dismantled ironworks, we will explore the natural history of recovering, post-industrial landscapes – all in the near shadow of Nicholson’s muse, Black Combe.
About the leader
The walk will be led by Phil Houghton. Phil is a member of the RGS North West regional committee (Cumbria and Lancashire). He is also a long-term member of the Norman Nicholson Society.
Event information
The tour will involve walking in Millom and some uneven terrain at Hodbarrow mine. Outdoor clothing and footwear recommended. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Dogs are not permitted on this walk.
BOOKING INFORMATION
The event is open to the public. You do not need to an RGS member or a Norman Nicholson Society member to book, but there is a small charge for those who are not members of one or the other organization. Full details are on the RGS website here.
Norman Nicholson Society members should book online with the RGS at the link above and use the code which will be sent out to them. This will ensure that their places are free. They should also send an email to Brian Whalley at our membership secretary's address: [email protected]
NOTE: The meeting place will be outside the Millom Heritage and Arts Centre (the former railway station building), not outside No. 14 St. George's Terrace as described on the RGS website.
Posted 26th March 2026; updated 02/04/2026
Worthy Winners!
The Norman Nicholson Society has once again sponsored two Norman Nicholson Poetry classes at the South Cumbria Musical Festival this year. They took place on Monday 16th March as part of the Festival's Speech Day.
We are also Patrons of the Festival, something we feel sure would have Nicholson's approval. As a boy he enjoyed learning poems off by heart and reciting them at local events and concerts, especially at his own Musical Festival in Millom. He described the Musical Festivals as ‘one of the favourite winter sports in our part of the world’!
The South Cumbria Musical Festival is a direct descendant of the Millom Musical Festival and carries forward the same tradition of nurturing young musicians, performers and budding poets. And we predict that many of today's young performers and poets will achieve great things in the future!
The set poems for this year's Norman Nicholson classes were 'I Don't Believe in Ghosts' and 'Nobbut God', both lively and humorous poems and well within the capability of the children who performed them. The younger pupils (up to and including School Year 6) performed 'I Don't Believe in Ghosts' with conviction and some aplomb. The winner was Layla O'Brien of Black Combe School, who was awarded the SCMF Buttermere Shield and a £20.00 book token from the Society.
Bailey Alexander, of Cartmel Priory School, was the worthy winner of Class 210. He recited Nicholson's well-loved poem 'Nobbut God' with great gusto, poise and clarity. He was awarded the SCMF Dickens Cup and a £30.00 book token from the Society.
The Norman Nicholson Society would like to thank the teachers and families involved in supporting the children in their performances. We very much hope that the experience of learning a Nicholson poem off by heart will stay with the children for ever and that they will develop a real love for his work.
Posted 19th March 2026
We are also Patrons of the Festival, something we feel sure would have Nicholson's approval. As a boy he enjoyed learning poems off by heart and reciting them at local events and concerts, especially at his own Musical Festival in Millom. He described the Musical Festivals as ‘one of the favourite winter sports in our part of the world’!
The South Cumbria Musical Festival is a direct descendant of the Millom Musical Festival and carries forward the same tradition of nurturing young musicians, performers and budding poets. And we predict that many of today's young performers and poets will achieve great things in the future!
The set poems for this year's Norman Nicholson classes were 'I Don't Believe in Ghosts' and 'Nobbut God', both lively and humorous poems and well within the capability of the children who performed them. The younger pupils (up to and including School Year 6) performed 'I Don't Believe in Ghosts' with conviction and some aplomb. The winner was Layla O'Brien of Black Combe School, who was awarded the SCMF Buttermere Shield and a £20.00 book token from the Society.
Bailey Alexander, of Cartmel Priory School, was the worthy winner of Class 210. He recited Nicholson's well-loved poem 'Nobbut God' with great gusto, poise and clarity. He was awarded the SCMF Dickens Cup and a £30.00 book token from the Society.
The Norman Nicholson Society would like to thank the teachers and families involved in supporting the children in their performances. We very much hope that the experience of learning a Nicholson poem off by heart will stay with the children for ever and that they will develop a real love for his work.
Posted 19th March 2026
Registration opens for 'Digital Norman'!
Booking is now open for 'Digital Norman', our next online event. It is free of charge and open to all. If you're not yet known to the Society, please tell us something about yourself and your interest in Nicholson and/or the event when you register.
Just send an email to: [email protected]
Booking closes at 5.00pm on Wednesday 4th March.
Full information about the event is in the post below.
A portrait of Norman Nicholson displayed at Millom Railway Station and part of the larger display depicted in the image below.
Photo © Brian Whalley 2017.
'Digital Norman'
The last Zoom event in our Winter Season will take place online on Thursday 5th March, 2026 from 7.30pm to 9.00pm. The topic is 'Digital Norman'.
We will look at how much information about Norman Nicholson and the Norman Nicholson Society is available online and what that information tells us about his current reputation. We will also put some free online AI Chatbots to the test on Norman Nicholson and his work to see how accurate their current knowledge is.
The session will be led by Dr. Antoinette Fawcett and will be both informative and fun.
Undigital Norman! Images created by Millom schoolchildren and displayed on Millom Railway Station.
Photo © Brian Whalley 2017.
Posted 16th February 2026; updated 27th February 2026
We will look at how much information about Norman Nicholson and the Norman Nicholson Society is available online and what that information tells us about his current reputation. We will also put some free online AI Chatbots to the test on Norman Nicholson and his work to see how accurate their current knowledge is.
The session will be led by Dr. Antoinette Fawcett and will be both informative and fun.
Undigital Norman! Images created by Millom schoolchildren and displayed on Millom Railway Station.
Photo © Brian Whalley 2017.
Posted 16th February 2026; updated 27th February 2026
‘Half Angel Half Bird: Norman Nicholson and Kathleen Raine in Poetic Dialogue’
The next event in our Winter Zoom series will take place online on Wednesday 4th February, 2026, from 7.30pm to 9.00pm.
The session will explore the poetic relationship between the poets Norman Nicholson (1914-1987) and Kathleen Raine (1908-2003) through shared reading and discussion following a short introductory talk by our session leader Greta Kelly. The focus will be on seven poems by the two writers, including Raine’s 'Night in Martindale', 'Angelus', and 'The Speech of Birds', alongside Nicholson’s 'Above Ullswater', 'The First Day of Autumn', 'Footnote to Genesis', and 'The Candle.' Together, these poems reveal a shared poetic dialogue shaped by recurring images of birds, angels, and the natural world. The session encourages participants to share their own thoughts and interpretations in the open discussion.
Greta has recently completed her Master’s degree with Distinction in English Literature, Romanticism, and the Lake District and is now preparing doctoral research that explores astronomy and angelology in the work of Norman Nicholson.
Registration for the event will open on Saturday 24th January. As usual, please send an email to the Norman Nicholson Society at [email protected] to request registration. Please provide details of who you are and why you are interested in the event.
The registration period will close at 5.00pm on Tuesday 3rd February.
The image above is a detail from the West Aisle Window of St. George's Church, Millom. Photo by Glenn Lang.
Posted 23/01/2026
The session will explore the poetic relationship between the poets Norman Nicholson (1914-1987) and Kathleen Raine (1908-2003) through shared reading and discussion following a short introductory talk by our session leader Greta Kelly. The focus will be on seven poems by the two writers, including Raine’s 'Night in Martindale', 'Angelus', and 'The Speech of Birds', alongside Nicholson’s 'Above Ullswater', 'The First Day of Autumn', 'Footnote to Genesis', and 'The Candle.' Together, these poems reveal a shared poetic dialogue shaped by recurring images of birds, angels, and the natural world. The session encourages participants to share their own thoughts and interpretations in the open discussion.
Greta has recently completed her Master’s degree with Distinction in English Literature, Romanticism, and the Lake District and is now preparing doctoral research that explores astronomy and angelology in the work of Norman Nicholson.
Registration for the event will open on Saturday 24th January. As usual, please send an email to the Norman Nicholson Society at [email protected] to request registration. Please provide details of who you are and why you are interested in the event.
The registration period will close at 5.00pm on Tuesday 3rd February.
The image above is a detail from the West Aisle Window of St. George's Church, Millom. Photo by Glenn Lang.
Posted 23/01/2026
Birthday Zoom Congratulations!
The Norman Nicholson Society celebrated the 112th anniversary of their poet's birth with a well-attended Zoom Event on Thursday, 8th January. Readings from Norman Nicholson's renowned pamphlet collection Stitch and Stone (Ceolfrith Press 1975) alternated with performances by contemporary Cumbrian poets Kate Davis, Kerry Darbishire, Luke Bateman, Kelly Davis and Ilse Pedler.
Susan Cartwright-Smith, writer-in-residence at Gosling Sike, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, added her inimitable touch to the evening with a glorious rendition of two new folk songs she had created as a tribute to Norman's work: 'Hodbarrow Mine' and 'The Pot Geranium Floral Dance'.
The Birthday Celebration ended with a rousing rendition of the traditional Birthday Song and a Toast to the health of Norman's spirit, which 'lives in our hearts and in his poetry'. For those who share Nicholson's taste for fine malt whiskies, glasses were raised and downed with gusto!
Feedback from people who attended the event was encouraging: "Absolutely fantastic evening!"; "wonderfully organised and hosted"; "a fascinating meeting"; "really lovely event"; "a lovely mix of poetry and fun"; "a very special evening"...
Our next online event will take place on Wednesday 4th February (7.30-9.00pm) and will focus on poems by Kathleen Raine (1908-2003) and Norman Nicholson that speak to, or were clearly influenced by, each other. The session leader will be Greta Kelly, who recently completed her MA dissertation on Nicholson's work and is due to start doctoral studies at the University of Cumbria in March.
For more information, please keep an eye on our Facebook page. And if you want to find out why the Pot Geranium is such an important symbol for lovers of Nicholson's work, why don't you join the Society? Contact our Membership Secretary, Brian Whalley, at [email protected].
Posted 11/01/2026; day of next event corrected on 13/01/2026
Susan Cartwright-Smith, writer-in-residence at Gosling Sike, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, added her inimitable touch to the evening with a glorious rendition of two new folk songs she had created as a tribute to Norman's work: 'Hodbarrow Mine' and 'The Pot Geranium Floral Dance'.
The Birthday Celebration ended with a rousing rendition of the traditional Birthday Song and a Toast to the health of Norman's spirit, which 'lives in our hearts and in his poetry'. For those who share Nicholson's taste for fine malt whiskies, glasses were raised and downed with gusto!
Feedback from people who attended the event was encouraging: "Absolutely fantastic evening!"; "wonderfully organised and hosted"; "a fascinating meeting"; "really lovely event"; "a lovely mix of poetry and fun"; "a very special evening"...
Our next online event will take place on Wednesday 4th February (7.30-9.00pm) and will focus on poems by Kathleen Raine (1908-2003) and Norman Nicholson that speak to, or were clearly influenced by, each other. The session leader will be Greta Kelly, who recently completed her MA dissertation on Nicholson's work and is due to start doctoral studies at the University of Cumbria in March.
For more information, please keep an eye on our Facebook page. And if you want to find out why the Pot Geranium is such an important symbol for lovers of Nicholson's work, why don't you join the Society? Contact our Membership Secretary, Brian Whalley, at [email protected].
Posted 11/01/2026; day of next event corrected on 13/01/2026
Norman's 112th Birthday!
Norman Nicholson may have passed away in 1987, almost forty years ago, but we still celebrate his birthday each year!
January 8th will mark the 112th anniversary of his birth in 1914 and will start a new Nicholson Year for members of the Society as well as for interested members of the public.
Do join us for an online Zoom Celebration which will mix readings of some of Nicholson's most celebrated poems with contemporary poems by Cumbrian poets, who will be with us for the evening. Expect a lively mixture of voices and a virtual toast! (Nicholson's favourite tipple was whisky).
The event is free of charge and is open to all. It starts at 7.30pm and will be finished by approximately 9.00pm.
Contact the Norman Nicholson Society at [email protected] for further details and to register.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Above: Norman Nicholson as a baby (1914)
Photographer unknown.
Posted December 2025
January 8th will mark the 112th anniversary of his birth in 1914 and will start a new Nicholson Year for members of the Society as well as for interested members of the public.
Do join us for an online Zoom Celebration which will mix readings of some of Nicholson's most celebrated poems with contemporary poems by Cumbrian poets, who will be with us for the evening. Expect a lively mixture of voices and a virtual toast! (Nicholson's favourite tipple was whisky).
The event is free of charge and is open to all. It starts at 7.30pm and will be finished by approximately 9.00pm.
Contact the Norman Nicholson Society at [email protected] for further details and to register.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Above: Norman Nicholson as a baby (1914)
Photographer unknown.
Posted December 2025
Philip Gardner thesis available at Millom Library
There's a valuable addition to the resources available in Millom Library. Philip Gardner's 1969 PhD thesis, a key text for Nicholson scholars over many years, is now available in hard copy for readers to access within the library. It's kept in the reserve collection, but with a note on the shelf with Nicholson's work to say that it is available. The thesis is also available online from Liverpool University at https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3174119/
The thesis was the precursor to Gardner's writing the first full-length book devoted to Nicholson’s work, his Norman Nicholson, published by Twayne of New York in 1973, combining literary criticism with biographical and geographical information which provide important context. It’s a book written with authority. Gardner’s appreciation of Nicholson dates back to student days in 1955, later prompting him to travel to Millom to meet him. From this visit a valued friendship developed, which in turn informed the thesis.
A detailed article about Philip Gardner, who now lives in Ottawa, appeared in Comet, the Norman Nicholson Society's newsletter, in March 2024.
posted 5/6/2025
The thesis was the precursor to Gardner's writing the first full-length book devoted to Nicholson’s work, his Norman Nicholson, published by Twayne of New York in 1973, combining literary criticism with biographical and geographical information which provide important context. It’s a book written with authority. Gardner’s appreciation of Nicholson dates back to student days in 1955, later prompting him to travel to Millom to meet him. From this visit a valued friendship developed, which in turn informed the thesis.
A detailed article about Philip Gardner, who now lives in Ottawa, appeared in Comet, the Norman Nicholson Society's newsletter, in March 2024.
posted 5/6/2025
We move to Bluesky
The Society has opened an account on the social media platform Bluesky where you can find us by searching for Norman Nicholson Society. This will in due course replace our activity on X / Twitter where we will continue to maintain a presence until the New Year. If you've been following us on X / Twitter, thank you so much for your support and we look forward to linking up again as we build a following on Bluesky. Click HERE to start.
posted 7/12/24
posted 7/12/24
Driving Norman to see Josefina - latest in our Audio Archive
Former Haverigg teacher and one-time warden of the Harriet Trust Chris Powell has recorded his memories of Norman Nicholson for our Audio Archive, available on this website HERE. Chris often drove Norman to visit the founder of the Harriet Trust, the sculptor Josefina de Vasconcellos, and her husband, the artist Delmar Banner, at their home, The Bield, in Little Langdale. He recalls those days in an interview recorded on October 10th 2024.
posted 25/10/24
posted 25/10/24
for previous News items please visit our News Archive
Explore Millom and surrounding area:
Millom Arts & Heritage Centre St George's Church Hodbarrow RSPB Reserve
Millom Arts & Heritage Centre St George's Church Hodbarrow RSPB Reserve
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