Ripon Cathedral

{{Short description|Cathedral in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England}}

{{Infobox church

| name = Ripon Cathedral

| fullname =

| image = Ripon Cathedral Exterior, Nth Yorkshire, UK - Diliff.jpg

| imagesize = 250

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| caption = The west front of the cathedral

| pushpin map = United Kingdom North Yorkshire

| pushpin label position = left

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| map caption = Shown within North Yorkshire

| coordinates = {{coord|54|8|5|N|1|31|12|W|region:GB|format=dms|display=title}}

| osgraw = SE 31446 71129

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| location = Minster Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 1QT

| country = England

| denomination = Church of England

| previous denomination = Roman Catholic

| tradition = Liberal Anglo-CatholicBlagdon-Gamlen, P. E. (1973) The Church Travellers Directory. London: Church Literature Association; p. 75

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| website = {{URL|http://www.riponcathedral.org.uk|Official website}}

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| status = Cathedral (since 1836)

| functional status = Active

| heritage designation = Grade I

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| style = Anglo-Saxon, Gothic (Early English)

| years built = 1160–1547

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| diocese = Leeds

| diocese start = 2014

| province = York

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| dean = John Dobson

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| canonchancellor = Barry Pyke (Educator)

| canonpastor = Ailsa Newby

| precentor = Michael Gisbourne

| archdeacon =

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| director = Dr Ronny Krippner

| organist = Tim Harper

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File:Ripon Cathedral (7544551950).jpg

The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid, commonly known as Ripon Cathedral, and until 1836 known as Ripon Minster, is a cathedral in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. Founded as a monastery by monks of the Irish tradition in the 660s, it was refounded as a Benedictine monastery by St Wilfrid in 672. The church became collegiate in the tenth century, and acted as a mother church within the large Diocese of York for the remainder of the Middle Ages.{{Cite web|url=https://www.churchofengland.org/media/1122193/chapter3.pdf|title=History of the Secular and Diocesan Boundaries in Yorkshire|access-date=3 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310042023/https://www.churchofengland.org/media/1122193/chapter3.pdf|archive-date=10 March 2016|url-status=live}} The present church is the fourth, and was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. In 1836 the church became the cathedral for the Diocese of Ripon.{{Cite book|title=The Cathedrals of England: The North and East Anglia|last1=Pevsner|first1=Nikolaus|last2=Metcalf|first2=Priscilla|publisher=The Folio Society|year=2005|location=London|pages=255}} In 2014 the Diocese was incorporated into the new Diocese of Leeds, and the church became one of three co-equal cathedrals of the Bishop of Leeds.

The cathedral is notable architecturally for its gothic west front in the Early English style, considered one of the best of its type, as well as the Geometric east window. The seventh-century crypt of Wilfrid's church is a significant example of early Christian architecture in England. The cathedral has Grade I listed building status.

Background

There has been a stone church on the site since 672, when Saint Wilfrid replaced the previous timber church of the monastery at Ripon (a daughter house of Saint Aidan's monastery at Melrose) with one in the Roman style. This was one of the earliest stone buildings erected in the Kingdom of Northumbria.{{sfn|Wilkinson|1974|p=3}} The crypt dates from this period.{{sfn|Hallett|1901|p=75}}

History

File:Ripon Cathedral Nave 1, Nth Yorkshire, UK - Diliff.jpg

Today's church is the fourth to have stood on this site.{{cite web |title=Ripon Cathedral (Dean and Chapter) Archive – Library {{!}} University of Leeds |url=https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/114239 |website=explore.library.leeds.ac.uk |access-date=15 July 2020}} Saint Wilfrid brought stonemasons, plasterers and glaziers from France and Italy to build his great basilica in AD 672. A contemporary account by Stephen of Ripon tells us:

{{blockquote|In Ripon, Saint Wilfrid built and completed from the foundations to the roof a church of dressed stone, supported by various columns and side-aisles to a great height and many windows, arched vaults and a winding cloister.{{cite book |last1=James |first1=Sara N. |title=Art in England : the Saxons to the Tudors, 600–1600 |date=2016 |publisher=Oxbow Books |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-78570-223-5 |page=10 |chapter=1: Missionaries, monks and marauders: Pre-Conquest England, the heptarchy-Edward the Confessor, C 600–1066}}}}

Saint Wilfrid was buried in this church near the high altar. Devastated by the English king Eadred in AD 948 as a warning to the Archbishop of York,{{sfn|Hallett|1901|pp=10–11}} only the crypt of Wilfrid's church survived but today this tiny 7th-century chapel rests complete beneath the later grandeur of Archbishop Roger de Pont l’Evêque's 12th century minster.{{sfn|Hallett|1901|p=121}} A second minster soon arose at Ripon, but it too perished – this time in 1069 at the hands of William the Conqueror. Thomas of Bayeux, first Norman Archbishop of York, then instigated the construction of a third church, traces of which were incorporated into the later chapter house of Roger's minster.{{sfn|Wilkinson|1974|p=6}}

The Early English west front was added in 1220, its twin towers originally crowned with wooden spires and lead.{{sfn|Wilkinson|1974|p=10}} The east window was built as part of a reconstruction of the choir between 1286–8 and 1330, and was described by architecture critic Pevsner as a 'splendid' example of the series of large Decorated Gothic windows constructed in Northern England.{{cite book |last1=Pevsner |first1=Nikolaus |editor1-last=Leach |editor1-first=Peter |editor2-last=Minnis |editor2-first=John |title=Yorkshire West Riding : Leeds, Bradford and the North |date=2009 |publisher=Yale University Press |location=New Haven |isbn=978-0300126655 |pages=637–658}} Major rebuilding had to be postponed due to the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses but resumed after the accession of Henry VII and the restoration of peace in 1485.{{sfn|Wilkinson|1974|p=19}} The crossing tower was rebuilt after it collapsed in an earthquake in 1450 but was never completed. Between 1501 and 1522 the nave walls were raised higher and the aisles added. The church's thirty-four misericords were carved between 1489 and 1494.{{sfn|Wilkinson|1974|p=22}} The same (Ripon) school of carvers also carved the misericords at Beverley Minster and Manchester Cathedral.{{cite book |last1=Wood |first1=Juanita |title=Wooden images : misericords and medieval England |date=1999 |publisher=Associated University Press |location=London |isbn=0-8386-3779-5 |page=25}} But in 1547, before this work was finished, Edward VI dissolved Ripon's college of canons. All revenues were appropriated by the Crown and the tower never received its last Perpendicular arches. It was not until 1604 that James I issued his Charter of Restoration.

During the Civil War, much of the stained glass was smashed and some of the statues were destroyed.{{cite news |last1=Tate |first1=Lesley |title=Fallen angel prompts £1000,000 restoration work at Ripon Cathedral |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/17515481.fallen-angel-prompts-1000000-restoration-work-at-ripon-cathedral/ |access-date=15 July 2020 |work=Craven Herald |date=28 March 2019}}{{NHLE|num=1150164|desc=Ripon Minster (Cathedral Church of St Peter and Wilfrid)|access-date=15 July 2020}}

Cathedral status

The minster finally became a cathedral (the church where the Bishop has his cathedra or throne) in 1836, the focal point of the newly created Anglican Diocese of Ripon – the first to be established since the Reformation.{{sfn|Hallett|1901|p=36}}

Dean and chapter

As of 30 December 2020:{{cite web|url=https://www.riponcathedral.org.uk/staff/ |title=Ripon Cathedral – Clergy & Staff| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919024146/https://www.riponcathedral.org.uk/staff/ |archive-date=19 September 2020 |access-date= 30 December 2020}}

Dean – John Dobson (since 14 June 2014 installation){{cite web|url=http://riponcathedral.info/2014/04/installation-of-canon-john-dobson-as-dean-of-ripon/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528085528/http://riponcathedral.info/2014/04/installation-of-canon-john-dobson-as-dean-of-ripon/ |archive-date=28 May 2014 |url-status=usurped|title=Installation of Canon John Dobson as Dean of Ripon|access-date=27 July 2014}}
Canon Precentor – Michael Gisbourne (since 16 September 2018 installation){{cite web |url=http://riponcathedral.info/new-canon-precentor-at-ripon-cathedral/ |title=New Canon Precentor for Ripon |access-date=2 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203030725/http://riponcathedral.info/new-canon-precentor-at-ripon-cathedral/ |archive-date=3 February 2019 |url-status=usurped }}
Canon Educator (i.e. Canon Chancellor) – Barry Pyke (since 11 September 2016 installation;{{cite web|url=http://riponcathedral.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Services-Notices-11th-September-2016.pdf |title=Ripon Cathedral service sheet|date= 11 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116193452/http://riponcathedral.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Services-Notices-11th-September-2016.pdf |archive-date=16 January 2018 |url-status=usurped |access-date= 16 January 2018}} previously called "Canon for Rural Engagement and Education")
Canon Pastor – Ailsa Newby (since June 2017;{{cite web|title=Canon Ailsa returns to Northern Roots {{!}} Ripon Cathedral|url=http://riponcathedral.info/13226-2/|website=riponcathedral.info|access-date=20 June 2017|date=20 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701173005/http://riponcathedral.info/13226-2/|archive-date=1 July 2017|url-status=usurped}} Newby is also The Lady Newby by her marriage to the Liberal politician Lord Newby){{Who's Who | author = Anon | year = 2016| title=Newby, Richard Mark | id = U29365 | doi = 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U29365 }}

Music

{{See also|List of musicians at English cathedrals#Ripon Cathedral}}

The current director of music is Dr Ronny Krippner, with Tim Harper as assistant director of music.{{cite web|url=http://riponcathedral.info/the-music-department/|title=The Music Department|work=Ripon Cathedral|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006192625/http://riponcathedral.info/the-music-department/|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=usurped}}

=Organ=

The cathedral has a fine organ by Harrison and Harrison, which is a rebuild of the original Lewis instrument dating from 1878.{{cite book |last1=Boeringer |first1=James |title=Organa britannica : organs in Great Britain 1660–1860 : a complete edition of the Sperling notebooks and drawings in the Library of the Royal College of Organists |date=1989 |publisher=Bucknell University Press |location=London |isbn=0-8387-1894-9 |page=343}} The organ is on the screen and has casework by Gilbert Scott. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.{{NPOR |id=N07116 |desc=Yorkshire, North, Ripon, Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Wilfrid |access-date=24 October 2023}} The organ last underwent a major refurbishment in 2013. These works included a thorough cleaning and repair of all pipe work.{{cite news |last1=Hersey |first1=Frank |title=Ripon Cathedral celebrates restored organ with a weekend of music |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&t=pubname%3ALYP1%21Yorkshire%2BPost%2B%2528England%2529/year%3A2014%212014/mody%3A0207%21February%2B07&action=browse&format=text&docref=news/14BE900396C39748 |access-date=14 July 2020 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=7 February 2014}}

=Organists=

In 1447, the organ at Ripon Cathedral was played by a priest, Thomas Litster.{{cite book |last1=West |first1=John E. |title=Cathedral organists past and present : a record of the succession of organists of the cathedrals, chapels royal, and principal collegiate churches of the United Kingdom, from about the period of the reformation until the present day. / With biographical notes, extracts from the chapter books, anecdotes |date=1899 |publisher=Novello |location=London |page=70|oclc=729755533}} Notable organists have included composers Charles Harry Moody and Ronald Edward Perrin.

=Bells=

A ring of 12 bells with an additional 'flat sixth' bell is hung in the south-west tower. A diatonic ring of ten bells was cast in 1932, and three additional bells were installed in 2008 with two new trebles being added to give a diatonic ring of twelve, and an additional 'flat sixth' bell to give a light ring of eight.{{cite web|url=http://www.yacr.org.uk/news.php?id=2|title=Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers Latest News|first=Emma |last=Baxter|publisher=Yacr.org.uk|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027185638/http://www.yacr.org.uk/news.php?id=2|archive-date=27 October 2014|url-status=live}}

Gallery

File:RiponWestBehioDezoid.jpg|Engraving of the west front.

File:RIPON FACADE.JPG|Detail of the western façade.

File:Ripon Cathedral misericord (Alice in Wonderland inspiration), Yorkshire, UK - Diliff.jpg|A misericord, alleged inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

File:Blemya.jpg|A blemyah carving from a choir stall.

File:Hendrik Frans de Cort - Ripon Minster.jpg|Ripon Minster, by Hendrik Frans de Cort, {{circa|1800}}.

File:RiponFensterSt.Michael.jpg|Stained glass window of St Michael, West end

File:Ripon-st-petersChapel-stainedGlassH23.jpg|Moses and Melchizedek; Stained glass window, St Peter's chapel

File:Ripon Cathedral 2.jpg|The eastern façade of the cathedral

File:Ripon Cathedral Rood Screen, Nth Yorkshire, UK - Diliff.jpg|The Rood screen

File:Ripon Cathedral Organ, Nth Yorkshire, UK - Diliff.jpg|The Organ

File:Ripon Cathedral Choir 2, Nth Yorkshire, UK - Diliff.jpg|The Choir of Ripon Cathedral

File:Ripon Cathedral crypt.jpg|1901 photograph of the crypt

References

=Sources=

{{cite book|last=Hallett|first=Cecil|title=The Cathedral church of Ripon; a short history of the church and a description of its fabric|year=1901|publisher=G Bell & Sons|location=London|oclc=459726710}}
{{cite book|last=Wilkinson|first=W. E.|title=Ripon Cathedral|year=1974|publisher=Pitkin Pictorials|location=London|isbn=0-85372-117-3}}
{{cite web|url=http://www.churchofengland.org/media/1122094/guide.pdf|title=The Dioceses Commission's Yorkshire Review – A Guide to the Report|publisher=Churchofengland.org|ref={{harvid|Report Guide}}|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722132748/http://www.churchofengland.org/media/1122094/guide.pdf|archive-date=22 July 2011}}

External links

[http://www.riponcathedral.org.uk Ripon Cathedral Website]
[http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2406 Ripon Cathedral on Skyscrapernews.com]
[http://library.leeds.ac.uk/info/370/subject_strengths/169/religion_and_theology/3 Ripon Cathedral Library and the Dean and Chapter Archive]; University of Leeds
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060820005215/http://www.ofchoristers.net/Chapters/Ripon.htm A history of the choristers of Ripon Cathedral]
[http://www.scottbeer.com/rcmf MUSIC AT RIPON CATHEDRAL 657–2008]

Category:12th-century church buildings in England

Category:Churches completed in 1574

Category:Ripon

Category:Anglican cathedrals in England

Category:Gothic architecture in England

Ripon

Category:Anglican Diocese of Leeds

Category:Church of England church buildings in North Yorkshire

Category:Monasteries in North Yorkshire

Category:Anglo-Catholic church buildings in North Yorkshire

Category:Tourist attractions in North Yorkshire

Category:Churches with elements of Anglo-Saxon work