Ripon Cathedral

Ripon Cathedral stands in the city of Ripon, North Yorkshire, on a site with Christian origins dating to the early medieval period. It serves as the seat of the local Anglican diocese and is one of England’s historic ecclesiastical buildings.

Significant interior areas include an early crypt with ancient fabric and the medieval nave and choir that were rebuilt and enlarged in later centuries. Architectural phases in stonework and decoration span Norman and later medieval periods.

The original religious foundation on the site is traditionally associated with the 7th century. The building complex evolved through Norman and later medieval rebuilding and was formally designated a cathedral in the 19th century during the creation of the Diocese of Ripon.

The cathedral is located in the market city of Ripon in northern England’s North Yorkshire, close to the River Ure and within the urban centre of the town.

• Origins and cathedral status: The site traces its origins to an early medieval religious foundation and was elevated to cathedral status in the 19th century during diocesan reorganisation.

What to See #

• Crypt: The cathedral crypt contains some of the oldest fabric of the site and relates to the early monastic foundation associated with the cathedral's origins.
• Nave and choir: The nave and choir reflect later medieval rebuilding and contain the main liturgical space and many of the cathedral's principal architectural and decorative features.