Ripon Cathedral

Ripon Cathedral has a history stretching back almost fourteen centuries. Throughout this time it has offered an unbroken tradition of witness to the Christian faith, both in the city of Ripon and across North Yorkshire.

Dominating the Ripon skyline, this amazing building has inspired the likes of Lewis Carroll and Wilfrid Owen and continues to inspire and uplift visitors and worshippers alike.

The present church was founded by Saint Wilfrid and dedicated in 672, although it has been rebuilt several times since. The ancient Saxon crypt – one of the oldest in the country – is the only part of Wilfrid’s original church that remains to this day.

The Cathedral also has many other interesting features, not least the medieval woodcarvings that decorate the choir stalls, which are believed to have inspired Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland.