North Yorkshire
Ripon is the only city in North Yorkshire, although it is historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
The city is in easy reach of some of Yorkshire's most beautiful scenery with the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty starting just two miles away from the city centre and the
Ripon is 10 miles north of Harrogate , 10 miles south-west of Thirsk , 10 miles east-north-east of
The Ripon Hornblower continues an ancient tradition in the city. Every night of the year at 9pm, the Hornblower blows the horn at the four corners of the Obelisk in Market Place and also outside the Town Hall, celebrating the many hundreds of years that a Wakeman, an overnight guardian against crime, provided a patrol of the city's streets.
The city had a railway station for nearly 120 years. The station was opened on the Leeds and Thirsk Railway in 1848, but was controversially closed under the Beeching cuts in 1967 and today Ripon is the only city in Yorkshire without a station.
City features
A busy compact shopping area is centered around Market Place and is particularly bustling on a Thursday when it holds its market.Shops range from local boutiques to major High Street retailers.
The main post office is at The Arcade and there are post offices branches at Bondgate and Lark Lane.
The city has a choice of pharmacies.
Ripon has banks and a building society offices.
Ripon offers a wide choice of places to drink, from traditional Yorkshire pubs in the city to country inns in nearby villages.
Cafes, restaurants and inns provide a fine choice of fare at all times of day.
Ripon has a selection of takeaways offering fish and chips, pizzas and Indian and Chinese cuisine.
Ripon Library, run by North Yorkshire County Council, is at The Arcade.
There are several schools in and around Ripon.
Places of worship: Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, other.
The River Laver joins the River Skell just south east of the city centre. The River Skell flows through Ripon to join the River Ure, which runs around the eastern side of Ripon.
The Ripon Canal stretches for just over 2 miles from the canal basin in Ripon to join the navigable part of the River Ure. It was originally opened in 1773. It became neglected and impassable by 1906, but was not formerly abandoned until 1956. The Ripon Canal Society spearheaded a restoration completed in 1996 and the canal is now looked after by the Canal and River Trust. Information at the 
Canal and River Trust - Ripon Canal
Canal and River Trust - Ripon Canal 
Ripon Cathedral
Minster Road
Ripon Cathedral is an ancient mother church of what is now a new diocese of the Church of England. The diocese was formed in 2014 from the dioceses of Ripon, Bradford and Wakefield and was named the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales to gain public trust across its entire area, before it was later ordered to use what had actually been registered as its official name of the Diocese of Leeds. It is one of three anglican cathedrals within the combined diocese, the others being in Wakefield and Bradford . The cathedral was dedicated to St Peter in 672. It was founded by St Wilfred, who in 658 had become the Abbot of the recently founded monastery of Ripon. The crypt of the original Saxon church survives, but much of the splendid cathedral dates from later periods of rebuilding, with transepts dating from the late 12th century. Its west front, dating from the 1220s, is one of the finest examples of Early English Gothic architecture. The nave was rebuilt in the 16th century after the central tower collapsed in 1450. More information at the Ripon Cathedral website.
Ripon Cathedral 
Sport
Ripon Racecourse
Boroughbridge Road
The present racecourse opened in 1900, but there had been racing at various locations in the city long before that time, the first being recorded at Bondgate Green in 1664. In 1723, Ripon hosted the country's first recorded race exclusively for female riders. The present flat racecourse at Boroughbridge Road has a reputation as one of the best small racecourses in the north and in its beautiful surrondings is known as Yorkshire's Garden Racecourse.
Museums
Prison and Police Museum
St Marygate
The museum is based in a building with a prison and policing history, being a house of correction for vagrants from 1686 and a liberty prison for much of the 19th century before becoming West Riding Constabulary's police station for Ripon until 1956. Displays trace policing history and an extensive range of police and prison memorabilia are on show. Further information at these Ripon Museums web pages.
Ripon Museums Workhouse Museum & Garden
Sharow View, Allhallowgate
The gatehouse building of Ripon's former workhouse houses a museum providing a taste of life in a Victorian workhouse. The present building dates from 1855, but a workhouse had been on the site from 1776. Volunteers have also carefully restored the workhouse garden to an 1890s setting. More details at these Ripon Museums web pages.
Ripon Museums Courthouse Museum
Minster Road
The museum is housed in the former Quarter Sessions Courthouse built in 1830, which continued in use as a Magistrates Court after 1953 until its closure in 1998. The courthouse had remained largely unchanged when closed and model figures in period clothing show a typical 19th century scene in the courtroom. Further details can be found at these Ripon Museums web pages.
Ripon Museums Places to visit
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden
Fountains, near Ripon, North YorkshireA World Heritage site containing Britain's most complete Cistercian abbey ruins. Fountains Abbey dates from 1132 when it became the home of 13 monks. The water gardens in the wooded valley of the River Skell were a Georgian addition to the Studley Royal Estate with features including classical statues, follies and garden buildings. Also on the estate are the 12th century Fountains Mill, the early 17th century Fountains Hall, the Porter's Lodge exhibition in the abbey gatehouse, St Mary's Church, a splendid Victorian Gothic Church, and a deer park. The estate is off the
Find out more at the
National Trust - Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal 
Lightwater Valley
North StainleyLightwater Valley is a theme park in 70 hectares of countryside off the A6108 near North Stainley about 4 miles north-north-west of Ripon. It includes more than 40 rides and themed attractions aimed at under-12s.
Find 
Lightwater Valley
Lightwater Valley 
Newby Hall & Gardens
Skelton on UreNewby Hall is a family home eight miles north-north-east of Harrogate (about 15 miles by road). It is a fine example of an Adam House, a style practised by the Scottish Adam brothers in the 18th century. Originally built in the late 17th century by Sir Christopher Wren, it was enlarged by John Carr and later modified by Robert Adam. The house has stunning 18th century interior decoration, a dolls house exhibition, Gyles Brandreth's teddy bear collection, a miniature railway and beautiful gardens with a relatively modern design dating from the early 1920s. In July, the hall is a venue for a historic vehicle rally.
For more information see the
Newby Hall & Gardens 
Thorp Perrow
Kings Keld Bank, near Snape, 2 miles south of Bedale Thorp Perrow Arboretum has one of the UK's finest collection of trees, including rare trees and shrubs. Located alongside the woodlands is a Bird of Prey and Mammal Centre with birds from around the world. There are regular flying demonstations when the weather is good. The mammals include meerkats, wallabies, goats and rare breed sheep. Thorp Perrow also has a children's playground and tea room. In addition to its regular opening times, Thorp Perrow has a programme of special events and experience days.
More information at the
Thorp Perrow Locate on map:
Thorp Perrow 
Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Extending across an area of 232 square miles (600 sq km), the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Beauty starts 2 miles from Ripon . It covers an area between those towns and the Yorkshire Dales National Park, just a few miles further away. At its centre is the small town of 
Yorkshire Dales National Park
After going through the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the 841 square miles (2,179 square kilometers) of the Yorkshire Dales National Park starts just 15 miles west of Ripon. Find out more on our 
Travel
Bus services
Road travel
Ripon is about 5 miles from the 
Emergency services
North Yorkshire Police North Yorkshire Police North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 
Local government
Civil parish council
Ripon City Council Ripon City Council website.
Ripon City Council Unitary authority
The North Yorkshire Council is a new unitary authority formed from the previous County Council from April 1, 2023. It covers the existing county duties including highways, schools, libraries and transport planning over an area of 3,109 square miles while also taking over the responsibilities of the seven huge district authorities also created in 1974 — Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby — these including local planning, waste collection, street cleaning, parks and car parks, housing and markets serving a population of around 615,500*.
Councillors were elected to the County Council in 2022 and continue as councillors of the new North Yorkshire Council unitary authority. There have been a few by-elections to fill councillor vacancies since then.
Places in 
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire Link to council website: North Yorkshire Council
North Yorkshire Council Open Government Licence v3.0 Political composition:
CI = Conservative & Independent NY Ind = North Yorkshire Independents group LC = Labour & Cooperative
Composition and groupings - source North Yorkshire Council (February 2024)
Strategic authority
York and North Yorkshire Combined AuthorityThe York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority was created in December 2023 combining the unitary authority of York and the unitary authority of North Yorkshire — that created in April 2023 after the abolition of the county authority and its seven district authorities. The combined authority will run some functions under the new mayor elected in May 2024 as part of the government's so-called "Devolution deal" which ties the availablity of funding to the new governance arrangements. As well as having powers over housing development, transport and boosting skills and education across the 3,214 square miles of York and North Yorkshire, the elected mayor also takes on the role and functions of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner across the area.
Elected mayor:
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner North YorkshireCovers the county of
City of York Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner North Yorkshire Parliamentary constituency
Skipton and RiponElected MP:
National government region
Yorkshire and the HumberCeremonial county
North YorkshireHistoric
1835-1974: Municipal borough in the West Riding of Yorkshire.1974-2023: Within Harrogate borough in the county of North Yorkshire.
April 2023 - present: Within the unitary authority of North Yorkshire.
Also in Yorkshire.guide
Near Ripon: Boroughbridge Harrogate Knaresborough Masham Home Travel