Ripon Cathedral
Cathedral of the Dales
Ripon Cathedral was founded by St Wilfrid (c.634-709), who brought craftsmen from Europe to build a new stone church on this site. It was dedicated to St Peter in 672. Of this original building, only the Saxon crypt survives.
The present church contains several architectural styles. The transepts (the ‘arms’ of a cross-shaped church) date from the late 1100s, and show a mixture of rounded Norman arches and later pointed Gothic arches. The west front (1220s) is a splendid example of the Early English Gothic style.
Ripon Cathedral is a beautiful, ancient church with a history reaching back to the 7th Century. It is a mother church for the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales and home for the cathedra (throne) of the Bishop of Leeds.
The Cathedral is an active, living Church with a community of Christians who seek to make worship a priority for life and to reach out in service to the wider community. We enjoy welcoming both pilgrims and tourists, hoping that they will capture a glimpse of God’s love for them through the witness of this remarkable building and its people. We look forward to welcoming you.