Discover Ripon, North Yorkshire

Ripon Cathedral: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ripon_Cathedral_2.jpg
Author: Soloist


Ripon is a cathedral city in the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England. It is located where the River Laver and the River Skell join to form the River Ure. The city has a population of 16,000 people (2012 estimate).

The area around Ripon has been inhabited since prehistory. The earliest culture to be documented is the Brigantes, a Brythonic tribe that left circular earthwork at Hutton Moor, 5 km to the north of present-day Ripon. During the Roman period, while the Romans did not establish themselves in Ripon, they did install a military outpost at North Stainley, about 8 km away.

The Norman Conquest of 1069 was resisted by the locals, who even tried to get their former rulers, the Danes, to return. This resulted in severe oppression which reduced the population of Ripon by 1/3. During this period, Ripon grew into a religious center until the English Reformation, when King Henry VIII broke away from Rome.

Bridge over River Ure, Ripon: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bridge_over_River_Ure.jpg
Author: repairman


Unlike many cities in England, Ripon did not reap much benefit from the Industrial Revolution, remaining very much a religious center. Today Ripon reaps the benefit of its heritage, as it develops a tourist industry drawing tourists to visit its religious buildings. Other attractions include the Ripon Racecourse and the Lightwater Valley theme park.

Visiting Ripon

To reach Ripon by car, take the A1(M) motorway until Exit 50, then continue south on the A61 until you reach the city. The nearest train station to Ripon is at Harrogate.

Places of Interest in Ripon

Ripon is on the Map of cities in England

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.