Ripon
 Cathedrals |
Ripon's history can be dated back as far as AD 886, the year Alfred the Great granted it a charter.
Construction of the splendid Ripon Cathedral began in the 12th century, built on the site of a much older Anglo-Saxon church. This church is thought to date back to the 7th century, from which a rare Saxon crypt, reputedly built for St Wilfrid in 672, survives to this day buried beneath the naïve of the present cathedral. A treasury has also survived, wherein was discovered a large collection of silver, and silvergilt ecclesiastical treasures; these are now kept in the crypt strongroom, together with church treasures from other parts of Yorkshire, and put on display. There is a real sense of 'space' in the cathedral, uncluttered as it is by monuments, and despite its having extremely high vaults, the cathedral remains one of the smallest in the country. Ripon Cathedral, with its quite marvellous 13th century West Front, displays a number of architectural styles, wherein Gothic predominates; the 16th century Gothic naïve is a fine example.
Ripon's large market square, surrounded on all sides by Georgian and medieval buildings, provides the town's focal point, while narrow winding streets thread their way from it. In the centre of the square is a 90ft obelisk, from which a forest horn is sounded, as in ancient times, to 'set the watch' at 9pm every evening.
The horn is blown by the town's official hornblower - the Wakeman, a custom dating back more than 1000 years, and used to announce that the city was then in the Wakeman's care for the night. Ripon's most interesting secular building, is the two-storey timber-framed 13th century Wakeman's House, with its small museum within, reputedly haunted! The Ripon Prison and Police Museum, built as a House of Correction in 1686, may be found in St Marygate.
Nearby Newby Hall is one of the most elegant houses in the North Country. Although dating from the 17th century, its dominant style is 18th century, with interiors by Robert Adam. The small church, situated in the grounds of Newby Hall, is richly decorated in high Victorian style. A miniature railway runs through the glorious garden.
The above photographs appears by courtesy of www.yorkshire-dales.com