Read more:
The annual Boxing Day pilgrimage from Ripon Cathedral to Fountains Abbey will be held on Tuesday (December 26),
As in previous years, pilgrims who take part in the four-mile walk, starting from outside the Cathedral at 10.15am, will not have to pay to enter the World Heritage site.
An item about the pilgrimage in the events section of Ripon Cathedral’s website says:
“Please Note: Fountains Abbey is owned and managed by the National Trust and you may need to provide either proof of membership or pay an entrance fee to enter the abbey.”
However, on its website the National Trust, has confirmed that it is a free event for pilgrims and no prior booking is required.
For non-National Trust members, the standard admittance price for adults is £18 and £9 for children.
Prior to the start of the pilgrimage, pilgrims will be welcome to attend a Eucharist service in the cathedral at 9.30am
The walkers will follow in the footsteps of 13 monks who on a cold day in 1132, walked from Ripon to a completely deserted valley by the River Skell.
There they started their own community from nothing and Fountains Abbey was born.
The traditional event, which will conclude with a carol service in the awe-inspiring vaulted cellarium of the ruined abbey, has become a firm favourite in the cathedral’s Christmas calendar. In previous years it has attracted hundreds of pilgrims.
Fountains Abbey near Ripon and the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh have tied in first place in a survey of the best historic attractions in the UK.
The two sites were the joint favourite attractions of 63 that were ranked in a survey of almost 3,000 members of consumer organisation Which?.
The survey looked at nine criteria including overall value for money, helpfulness of staff and lack of crowds.
Both achieved an overall score of 88 per cent, beating well-known attractions including York Minster, Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London to the top spot.
Fountains Abbey, which is a World Heritage Site managed by the National Trust, is one of the largest Cistercian abbey ruins in Europe. It was a thriving monastic community for 400 years until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539.
Light shines through the cellarium at Fountains Abbey.
Those who rated the attraction highly praised the ‘calm atmosphere’ and ‘leisurely walks’ on offer in over 800 acres of grounds, with the attraction scoring a full five stars for lack of crowds, as well as how accurately the description matched reality.
The Royal Yacht Britannia, which served the Royal Family for more than 44 years, is now docked permanently on the Firth of Forth in Leith.
Durham Cathedral was the highest scoring free attraction, with a customer score of 86 per cent. It ranked joint fifth in the table overall, tying with Stirling Castle.
Read more:
- 390 homes approved in Ripon despite concerns over impact on Fountains Abbey
- History of Ripon Spa Baths captured as venue prepares for new lease of life
At the other end of the table was Shakespeare’s birthplace, the playwright’s childhood home in Stratford-Upon-Avon, with a score of 63 per cent. While respondents praised the building’s cultural significance, it scored just two out of five stars for value for money and facilities, and rated no more than three stars in any category.
Guy Hobbs, acting editor of Which? Travel, said:
“This year two very different but equally impressive historic attractions topped our survey, and it’s easy to see why. Both Fountains Abbey and the Royal Yacht Britannia offer a unique day out with visitors telling us they enjoyed the opportunity to immerse themselves in a slice of history for the day.
Which? surveyed 2,944 members between April and May 2022.
Exhibition shows Fountains Abbey’s natural and man-made beauty
The raw force of nature is captured in this snow storm photograph by Joe Cornish.
Mr Cornish’s work can be found at Fountains Mill and the follies throughout the water garden and a free exhibition map can be obtained at entrances.
The map will guide visitors on a journey that, through his lens, illustrates how both man and nature have sculpted the landscape.
From the elegant manicured surroundings of the water garden created in the early 18th century by the Aislabie family, to the naturally-formed designs found in fallen trees around the site.
The Temple of Piety is one of the exhibition locations.
In addition to the exhibition map, a trail has been created for children, which aims to engage their imaginations by encouraging them to explore the whimsical themes in Mr Cornish’s work, such as hunting for hidden weather-beaten faces found in the bark of trees.
The Fallen series focuses on a number of trees which have a powerfully sculptural quality. The title given to this aspect of the exhibition, acknowledges the on-going job they do, providing a refuge for many species of tiny creatures, fungi and microbial life.
The children’s trail encourages young people to look for faces in the bark of trees.
Root and branch – the photographs of Joe Cornish feature some of the extraordinary trees at Fountains Abbey and the Studley Royal Deer Park.
Within the ornate alcoves of the Banqueting House there are two large-scale panoramic photographs of the sweeping views in the water garden and the Octagon Tower is the venue where visitors can view a series of six photographs themed ‘The Fallen’.
These provide a close-up look at the shapes that nature formed over centuries, on trees felled by storms and other incidents, that remain in situ and provide a wildlife habitat for many different varieties of creatures.
Read more:
- New artworks go on display for Ripon’s 1,350th anniversary
- Ripon California keenly awaits the memoirs of former Ripon mayor
It was cancelled last year because of covid, but tomorrow’s Boxing Day pilgrimage from Ripon Cathedral to Fountains Abbey is scheduled to go ahead.
The event, which regularly attracts upwards of 1,000 people, will follow the 9.30am Eucharist service for St Stephen’s Day.
At 10am, pilgrims will set off from the cathedral on the four-mile journey to Fountains Abbey.
Walking at a leisurely pace, they will retrace the steps of the 13 Benedictine monks who were the original founders of the abbey in 1132.
Read more:
- Ripon company wins £106,000 contract to resurface city car park
- Lottery funding boost for Ripon museums
At the abbey, a carol service will be led by the Dean of Ripon The Very Revd. John Dobson and cathedral clergy.
The pilgrimage between the two iconic heritage and religious sites has been held since 1976.
Sunday’s event will be the second pilgrimage of the year from the cathedral to the abbey.
In September, Ripon Together’s Yorkshire Pilgrimage was held as part of its Healthy Journeying campaign, which encourages people to walk in the Yorkshire countryside for physical and mental wellbeing.
Booking essential as Fountains Abbey re-opens tomorrowFountains Abbey and the Studley Royal water garden will re-open tomorrow to the public. However, only one car park will be available.
This week the National Trust began its phased re-opening of all of its sites to ensure maximum safety for their visitors.
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is the next to re-open. It will limit the number of visitors and insists on pre-booking before arriving.
Visitors will have the opportunity the pre-book online and will be given a 30 minute time slot to arrive within. Visitors who arrive without pre-booking will be turned away.
The cafe is closed but the toilets will remain open to the public.
Justin Scully, General Manager of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal said:
“We have introduced a booking system so we’re able to control numbers to maintain public safety. Whilst the Studley car park remains closed the main visitor centre car park will be open and visitors will need to book in advance. Given the unprecedented circumstances, and in order to keep everyone safe, your visit to the National Trust will feel different from normal.”
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is re-opening tomorrow with pre-booking essential for any visitors.
Read more:
- WATCH as Newby Hall prepares to re-open to the public in full bloom.
- The stunning area of Nidderdale could be under threat as six suspected incidents of bird poisonings take place during lockdown.
Alexa Vernon is the Visitor Experience & Marketing Manager for the site, she said:
“The atmospheric abbey ruins, fanciful follies and elegant canals and ponds are all still the same though we have had to make some changes to keep everybody safe. All of our indoor spaces such as Fountains Hall and the Mill are closed as well as our playground. We’re asking everyone to park at the Visitor Centre though and to call ahead if they require level access.”