A scenic 42-mile walk between Bradford and Ripon has been created that takes in Saltaire, Fountains Abbey and Brimham Rocks.
The Burley Bridge Association and Ramblers Lower Wharfedale, who devised the route, have invited ramblers to join them for the inaugural walk on Friday April 29. There will also be several guided walks spread out over the bank holiday weekend.
It will begin at Bradford Cathedral between 9am and 10am and will continue to Saltaire (4.5 miles) then to Burley (8 miles).
The third stage to Thruscross Reservoir (10 miles) will take place on Saturday April 30, starting at 10am from Burley Station, with mini-bus transport provided back to Burley. There will be a small charge to cover costs.
The fourth stage from Thruscross to Brimham Rocks (8.5 miles) will take place on Sunday May 1 and the fifth stage from Brimham Rocks to Ripon (11 miles) will take place on Bank Holiday Monday, May 2.
David Asher, secretary of the BBA said:
“It links the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Saltaire and Fountains Abbey and goes through some of the best scenery that West and North Yorkshire has to offer.
“From a hidden green corridor starting near the centre of Bradford, to upland moor landscapes with extensive views, stunning wooded valleys, and past dramatic geological formations such as Brimham Rocks.”
“There are also loads of bridges to cross including the 13th century Butterton Bridge which features on the waymarks along the route. The Wharfe can be crossed either by the stepping stones or by Denton Bridge depending on the water level.”
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The walk finishes at Ripon Cathedral and all walkers are invited to the Ripon Beer Festival that takes place that day. It is being hosted by the Cathedral as part of its 1350th birthday celebrations.
If you want to book, send names and phone numbers to burleybridge@gmail.com
Shortlist revealed for Ripon Civic Society’s design awardsFrom facilities designed for the seriously rich to listed buildings of religious and historic significance, the Ripon Civic Society’s design awards shortlist embraces a wide range of architectural splendour.
Grantley Hall, the multi-million pound luxury hotel, fine dining and wellness retreat, is among the contenders in the Best New Building category for the Hazzard Silver Cup.
Grantley Hall is also shortlisted for the best restored building award, where it is competing again, amongst others, St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church at Coltsgate Hill. where renovation was made possible because of the £500,000 raised by parishioners and grant funding.
Opened in 1862, the Grade II* listed building is recognised as one of finest parish churches in England.
The Pugin reredos that provides the backdrop for the high altar at St Wilfrid’s was refurbished as part of the church’s restoration.
St Wilfrid’s is also shortlisted for the society’s Craftsmanship Award, where it again competes against Grantley Hall.
Both face stiff competition in this category from Ripon Cathedral’s Fallen Angels project, which saw the restoration of carvings and canopies in the medieval quire.
Ripon Cathedral’s Fallen Angels project is shortlisted for the civic society’s design awards. Picture: Ripon Cathedral
Grantley Hall is also in the running for The Younge Rose Bowl for Best Environmental Improvement, where it is up against Ripon City Wetlands, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Oscar’s Wood and High Batts Nature Reserve.
Ripon Claro Lounge is shortlisted in the Best Contribution to City Centre Revitalisation category
Contenders for the Taylor plate for Best Contribution to City Centre Revitalisation are the Claro Lounge and apartments in Market Place South, The Magdalens pub in Princess Road and The Water Rat at Bondgate Green.
Society chairman Christopher Hughes, said:
“Our usual biennial awards last held in 2018 have, as a result of covid restrictions in 2020, become quadrennial this year, and whilst we were anticipating a larger-than-usual response we have almost been overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of nominations submitted.
“Over the past few weeks our four judges have been considering and fine tuning a list of over thirty submissions, many of which had award-winning potential.
“Finally, and with not a little difficulty, we’ve arrived at a shortlist of which we are extremely proud and which we believe showcases the remarkable quality of projects in our part of Yorkshire”.
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The award presentations will take place at Ripon’s Workhouse Museum on the evening of Thursday, April 7.
The winners of two of the awards — The John Whitehead Award for Civic Excellence and the Helen Whitehead Award for Best Project — will be announced on the evening.
Families savour the sights and sounds of RiponFrom Ripon’s priceless regalia, to readings for children in the library, today’s Sights and Sounds event had something for all the family.
Seven of the city’s best-known locations opened their doors between 11am and 2pm to provide free entertainment and interactive fun for families.
The programme, organised by Harrogate Borough Council, included activities ranging from participation in a Victorian school lesson at the Workhouse Museum, to a visit to the bell tower at Ripon Cathedral.
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe, who opened the event.
The Sights and Sounds of Ripon, was opened at the cathedral by North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe (pictured above), who was born and bred in Ripon.
She said
:”I would like to thank Harrogate Borough Council for arranging this event, which is part of the North Yorkshire Neighbourhood Partnership Scheme.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for people to enjoy the history, heritage, arts and culture of this wonderful city.”
Visitors to the Prison and Police Museum, on St Marygate were able to find out how fingerprints have been used to catch criminals since the Victorian era, while being able to make their own inky impression to take home with them.
Retired solicitor Simon Crosfield, who works as a volunteer at the Courthouse Museum, let these two youngsters know what it’s like to face a judge.
At the nearby Courthouse Museum on Minster Road, visitors learned about how the city’s criminals were brought to justice in bygone days.
In addition to the array of activities at the three heritage attractions run by Ripon Museum Trust, the cathedral, which celebrates its 1,350th anniversary this year, hosted an exhibition featuring community services provided by 14 local organisations.
The city’s silverware and other treasures, collected over centuries, were on display at Ripon Town Hall where they were the focus of talks in the Mayor’s parlour.
There was an opportunity to watch Ripon Youth Theatre rehearsing at the city’s Arts Hub.
Read more:
In addition to the array of activities at the three heritage attractions run by Ripon Museum Trust, the cathedral hosted an exhibition featuring community services provided by 14 local organisations.
Freddie (left) and Taylor were among those to join in an interactive storytime at Ripon Library
Those who were seeking more interactive entertainment found it at Ripon Arts Hub on Allhallowgate, where they watched a working rehearsal by Ripon Youth Theatre and were then invited to join in an Oliver! workshop,
Storytime readings were held at the library for children aged 0-6 and 7-11-year-olds, where community information stalls were also on display
Ripon Cathedral is to celebrate the life and legacy of Wilfrid, its founding father, in a series of events marking its 1,350th anniversary.
The cathedral today revealed details of the programme, which include a sound and light show about Wilfrid’s life and an initiative to suspend stars from the nave.
Four artists will transform the cathedral’s Anglo Saxon crypt – the last remains of the church Wilfrid founded on the site and the oldest surviving building in any English Cathedral.
In addition, there will be arts, crafts, music, lectures, worship, pilgrimage opportunities, flower displays and the traditional St Wilfrid’s Day procession through the city.
The cathedral flooded the west front with words from the war poet, Wilfred Owen, and lit up in red to mark the centenary of the Armistice in 2018.
The cathedral has staged numerous art events before.
During lockdown it suspended tens of thousands of paper angels in the nave.
Now, in its anniversary year, it has lined-up a series of Wilfrid-themed initiatives.
Miracle maker
The Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd John Dobson said:
“Ripon Cathedral is here because Wilfrid was here. His life and legacy is written in these stones. He was a miracle maker, a pioneer, a leader and a force to be reckoned with.
“He converted a pagan England and brought something of the beauty of Rome to these shores.
“In this, our anniversary year, we are committed to telling his story afresh, by breathing new life into our history and our heritage and sharing his love for beauty and the arts while ensuring worship is at the heart of all that we do, as Wilfrid, our forefather did before us.”
Tickets have just gone on sale for the anniversary launch weekend, which will take place over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
It will start on April 28 with dancing in the nave to a local jazz and swing band, a beer festival, a pilgrimage from Bradford Cathedral, and a sound and light show finale that promises to recreate Wilfrid’s miracles — including that of a lunar rainbow said to have appeared to the monks of Ripon Monastery one year after his death in 709 AD.
Ripon Bible
Other headline events throughout the year include the premiere of new digital projections from the little-known Ripon Bible.
Currently held in the special collection of the Brotherton Library at Leeds University, this illuminated document in its rich blues, golds and purples is believed to have been created by scholars in Oxford.
Pages from it have been recreated in sound and light and will be projected across the interior of the cathedral, offering visitors the chance to see it for the first time.
Ripon Cathedral
There will also be lectures from historians Tom Holland and Max Adams; a series of tours taking visitors behind the scenes, an organ festival featuring an animation created for piano and organ to tell Wilfrid’s story, while four artists, including Sara Shamma, will transform Ripon’s ancient Anglo-Saxon crypt with specially commissioned works in paint, words, tapestry, and a new light and soundscape.
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Jo Bussey, director of development, said:
“We are super excited to bring to life Ripon Cathedral’s rich heritage and history in such exciting and unique ways.
“There’s something for everyone, young and old, art buffs, historians, even pizza, and cake lovers.
Who was St Wilfrid?
Wilfrid was born into a noble Northumbrian family.
A patron of the arts, he studied at Lindisfarne before embracing the Roman ways, was deposed on more than one occasion, and yet helped to unite England behind a single Christian tradition.
It is said he was born in flames, survived shipwrecks and exile and his jailers could not keep him chained.
He was a healer, he kept people from hunger by teaching them to fish, and the moon and stars shone so bright for him that a lunar rainbow appeared on the anniversary of his death.
More children’s activities announced for Ripon Cathedral Spring ShowRipon Cathedral is to host its annual Spring Food, Home and Garden Show next month with stalls and plenty of child-friendly activities including a petting farm.
The Spring Show is returning on Saturday, April 9 after a two-year break, due to covid, with more than 70 stallholders selling gardening goods and food.
Organisers of the fair have said it is set to be a fantastic day out for all the family with children’s activities such as a mobile petting farm with spring animals from Brimham Rocks Adventure Farm, a chocolate tombola and a ‘have a go’ putting green by EGM Landscapes.
Brick Box Yorkshire will also be there running build and create Lego sessions for kids.
There will also be live music from Knot Another Choir at 11.30am and 1.30pm and a piano recital from David Powling at 2pm.
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Cathedral volunteers will be running a Cathedral Plant Stall, selling affordable plants. A pop-up Cathedral cafe is also planned, it will sell pulled pork sandwiches, homemade cakes and hot drinks.
Proceeds from the plant stall and pop-up cafe will go towards the heritage conservation, education programme and running costs of Ripon Cathedral.
The show is open from 10am to 4pm and tickets costs £3 for adults, plus a booking fee, and £5 on the door. Children under 14 are free. To book tickets click here.
Ripon Pancake Race won’t be held on Shrove TuesdayRipon Pancake Race won’t be held on Shrove Tuesday next week because of covid-related problems.
The event sees children, local residents and members of the clergy race along Kirkgate tossing pancakes.
It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to covid and there were hopes it would return this year.
But Tim Jones, treasurer of the Rotary Club of Ripon Rowels, said that covid uncertainty at the start of the year did not allow enough time for road closure applications to be processed. He said;
“Some teachers were reluctant to bring schoolchildren out so we decided not to go ahead.”
The event is staged jointly by the rotary club and Ripon Festivals, in association with Ripon Cathedral.
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Ripon BID begins to light up the city
Ripon Business Improvement District will begin an initiative tonight to light up alleys and ginnels in the city.
The BID, which aims to increase footfall in Ripon to help businesses, will switch on festoon lighting in Lavender Alley, which links Fishergate with Old Market Place and Queen Street,
It will be the first alley and ginnel around the city to be lit up, as part of a BID-funded programme designed to make Ripon a more attractive place to visit.
Ripon BID manager Lilla Bathurst, said:
“Lighting up these key routes throughout the city has been a priority.
“Businesses want all our tourists and the local community to enjoy the most convenient routes as they navigate and explore the city.
“We have been pleased to work with local to Ripon lighting contractor, Fusion FX to deliver this project.’’
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Lavender Alley, was given a deep clean in November along with three other busy routes regularly used by pedestrians, shoppers and visitors, to access the city,
In December, Kirkgate, a key gateway to and from Ripon’s iconic cathedral and location for hospitality businesses and a strong mix of retailers, received a pre-Christmas deep clean, as the BID-managed work progressed.
Arsonists attempt to set fire to Ripon CathedralArsonists attempted to set fire to Ripon Cathedral this morning.
North Yorkshire Police, which was alerted to the incident at 10.40am, is appealing for information.
Nobody was injured and no damage was caused. No further details have been released.
A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said:
“We were alerted to a suspected attempted arson incident at Ripon Cathedral at around 10.40am today. Thankfully there were no injuries and no damage caused.
“An investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”
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The cathedral, which is celebrating its 1,350th anniversary this year, was open as normal this afternoon.
A spokesperson confirmed firefighters were called this morning after smoke was smelt inside the building. The spokesperson added:
“We have been asked not to give any more details while investigations are ongoing.”
Inside the cathedral, pictured this afternoon.
Police asked anyone with information to email sarah.hargreaves@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101.
Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously via its website or by calling 0800 555 111.
Quote reference number 12220031515.
Families invited to enjoy the sights and sounds of Ripon
Seven of Ripon’s best-known locations are combining on Saturday March 12 to provide free entertainment and interactive fun for families.
The Sights and Sounds of Ripon programme, organised by Harrogate Borough Council, runs from 11am until 2pm at all venues.
It includes activities ranging from participation in a Victorian school lesson at the Workhouse Museum, to a visit to the bell tower at Ripon Cathedral.
Anyone interested in how fingerprints have been used to catch criminals can find out at the Prison and Police Museum, on St Marygate, where they can try fingerprinting themselves.
The cathedral will host singing, dancing, displays, craft activities and a bell tower tour.
At the nearby Courthouse Museum on Minster Road, visitors can see how the city’s criminals were brought to justice in bygone days.
In addition to the array of activities at the three heritage attractions run by Ripon Museum Trust, the cathedral, which celebrates its 1,350th anniversary this year, will host an exhibition featuring community services provided by 14 local organisations.
There be family crafts and games and performances from local choirs, Ripon City Morris Dancers and Betty Lupton’s Ladle Laikers.
The dancers and the Ladle Laikers will also be performing at the Workhouse Museum, along with singers and a ukulele band, while Punch and Judy shows will take place at 11.30am and 1.30pm.
The city council’s treasured items will be the focus of talks in the Mayor’s Parlour
At Ripon Town Hall, the city’s silverware and other treasures, collected over centuries, will be the focus of talks held on the hour from 11am in the Mayor’s parlour.
Those looking for some interactive entertainment will find it at Ripon Arts Hub on Allhallowgate, where they can view a working rehearsal by Ripon Youth Theatre between 11am and 12 noon and join in live Oliver! workshops at 12.15pm, 1pm and 1.45pm.
Read more:
The city’s library will hold storytime readings for 0-6 year-olds from 11am and there will be stories and activities for 7-11-year-olds between 12 noon a 12.45pm.
In addition to the daytime programme at the library, which will feature community information stalls, Ripon Poetry Festival will be staging a free to attend open mic night at 7.30pm, for which places need to be booked in advance.
Further programme details are available here.
A gala concert in honour of the Queen’s platinum jubilee will be held at Ripon Cathedral on Saturday March 5.
St Cecilia Orchestra will play some of the best-loved English orchestral music, compered by Nidderdale-based actor and playwright, Nevin Ward.
He promises:
“A glorious, thrilling programme that is not just some of the finest English music ever written, it’s some of the best music ever, full stop!”
The programme will open with Walton’s rousing Orb and Sceptre march, specially commissioned for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
This will be followed by Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, which takes the listener on a whistlestop tour of the orchestra by means of a cleverly adapted set of variations on a theme from Purcell’s Abdelazer.
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Mr Ward, a native Northumbrian who has lived in Nidderdale for 45 years, voices the narration in the evening concert and also in a special family highlights matinee at 5.00 pm – designed to give younger children the opportunity to take part in the celebrations and hear live orchestral playing.
Following the interval, the orchestra’s string section will feature in Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis, written for double string orchestra with string quartet and based on a melody of the English Renaissance.
Conductor Xenophon Kelsey is looking forward to hearing the fantasia in the generous acoustic of Ripon Cathedral. He said:
“The Vaughan Williams work is glorious – so atmospheric and evocative, especially in the cathedral!”
Elgar finale
The concert will come to a close with one of Elgar’s musical masterpieces, the Enigma Variations, consisting of 14 pieces based on an original melody, each of which is a sketch depicting one of the composer’s friends.
Elgar himself explained that the work ‘commenced in a spirit of humour’, as he improvised at the piano one evening, but it ‘continued in deep seriousness’.
In naming the theme ‘Enigma’, the composer posed a challenge which has generated much speculation over the years but has never been definitively answered.
Tickets for the full evening performance are priced at £20 for adults and are free for under 18s. Available via the orchestra website, www.st-cecilia.org.uk, from the Little Ripon Bookshop and Henry Roberts, or reserve by phone: 01423 531062. The performance begins at 7.30pm.
Tickets for the short family matinee at 5.00pm (Walton and Britten only) cost £5 for adults and are free for under 18s, and are available from the same outlets.
