Visit Ripon Places

Welcome to Visit Ripon Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Ripon

  

Ripon Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Ripon

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Ripon history

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Northumbrian and Viking period

The first structure built in the area was a Christian church dedicated to St Peter in 658. The Romans did not settle Ripon, but they had a military outpost at North Stainley. The earliest settlers were stonemasons, glaziers and plasterers brought over to help construct the Ripon monastery.

Normans and the Middle Ages

Ripon is thought to have shrunk to a small community around the church following the Harrying of the North. During the 12th century Ripon built up a booming wool trade, attracting Italian trade merchants, especially Florentines, who bought and exported large quantities. Ripon’s proximity to Fountains Abbey, where the Cistercians had a long tradition of sheep farming, was a considerable advantage.

Reformation and Tudor times

Ripon was badly affected by the English Reformation under the Tudor king Henry VIII. The Abbot of Fountains, William Thirske, was expelled by Henry and replaced. He was one of the leaders of the Pilgrimage of Grace popular rising. The revolt failed and Henry followed through with the break from Rome and the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Civil War and Restoration

Ripon remained loyal and royalist during the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell visited the city twice on his way to battle, once on the way to the Preston and also to the Battle of Worcester. The founder of Methodism preached in Ripon and a small community of followers was established.

Modern Ripon

During the First World War a large military training camp was built in Ripon, the local community offered hospitality to soldiers’ wives and Flemish refugees. The racecourse south-east of the city also served as an airfield for the Royal Flying Corps (and latterly the Royal Air Force)

Ripon culture & places

Wilfrid Procession is held every year in celebration of the city’s founder. Ripon has dancing traditions such as the Long Sword dance and Morris dance. The market square is the site of the Ripon obelisk, erected in 1702 by John Aislabie and was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor. The Ripon Hornblower tradition has endured since the year 886 and continues on to this day.

Ripon geography / climate

Topography

Ripon lies at the confluence of two rivers; the Laver and the Skell. The Skell feeds water into the basin of Ripon Canal and the River Ure. The Ure was the traditional boundary between the old West and North Ridings of Yorkshire. As the city is at the meeting point of three rivers, it has flooded often in the 20th century.

You can visit Ripon places with Walkfo Ripon to hear history at Ripon’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Ripon has 25 places to visit in our interactive Ripon map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Ripon, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Ripon places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Ripon & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 25 audio facts unique to Ripon places in an interactive Ripon map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Ripon Places Map
25 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Ripon historic spots	Ripon tourist destinations	Ripon plaques	Ripon geographic features
Walkfo Ripon tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Ripon

  

Best Ripon places to visit

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Ripon has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Ripon’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Ripon’s information audio spots:

Diocese of Ripon The Diocese of Ripon was part of the Province of York. It covered an area in western and northern Yorkshire as well as the south Teesdale area administered by County Durham. The diocese was also served by a suffragan Bishop of Knaresborough and was divided into two archdeaconries, those of Richmond and Leeds.

St John’s Almshouses, Ripon St John’s Almshouses (formally the Hospital of St John the Baptist) are Grade II listed in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England.

River Laver The River Laver is a tributary of the River Skell in North Yorkshire. The name is of Brittonic origin, from labaro, meaning “talkative”, i.e. a babbling brook. The Afon Llafar in Wales shares the same name.

Visit Ripon plaques