JULY 30TH, 2010
By ADMINISTRATOR

Ripon

Nursing Homes near Ripon

North Yorkshire

Approximate Population: 16,468

The North Yorkshire city of Ripon (made so in 1836, the first new bishopric to be created since the Reformation) has more of the market town about it than the metropolis, though it is a thriving place with plenty of amenities to serve its population of 16,000 and the many visitors who come to the area year round. The market is held every Thursday, drawing people from the surrounding area as well as residents of Ripon.

The Cathedral is a pleasant mix of architectural styles and eras: the crypt is all that remains of the Saxon foundation established by St Wilfrid in 672; the Saxon church was largely destroyed in the 9th century, to be replaced in the 11th, and added to in the 12th when the lovely West Front was incorporated in the building. A tradition still upheld to this day links us with the times during which the church was constructed: the Ripon hornblower, or Wakeman, blows his horn at 9pm every night, and has done so it is said for some 1300 years, originally a sort of curfew to call people back to the safety of the settlement, it is now often referred to as Œwatch setting.

The Wakeman blows three blasts at each of the four sides of the monument in the market square. The town has managed to retain its small independent shops, and is not short of hostelries, including one said to date back to the 14th century, so it can offer those who just fancy a good mooch round a very pleasant stay. Over the last couple of decades the number of cafes and bistros has grown, serving contemporary cuisine for those who don’t fancy the more robust Yorkshire fare to be found in the town too. For those wanting something a bit more dynamic there is the race course which hosts meetings from April to August. If you are tempted to stay and have children to educate you should know that Ripon Grammar, a state selective school, is highly reputed. Supposedly with its roots in Saxon times like the cathedral, it was refounded in 1555. In the area around Ripon you will find some lovely countryside, but for once mankind surpasses nature here, with the nearby ruins of Fountains Abbey in Studley Royal Park, quite rightly selected as a UNESCO world heritage site.