Ripon Cathedral

Ripon Cathedral was founded by St Wilfrid in 672 – its ancient crypt making it one of the oldest churches in the country – and it remains a vibrant centre at the heart of the local community to this day. As well as the original Saxon crypt, the present church contains several other architectural styles. The transepts date from the late 1100s, and show a mixture of rounded Norman arches and pointed Gothic arches. The west front, built in the 1220s, is a splendid example of the Early English Gothic style. After the central tower collapsed in 1450, much of the 12th-century nave was rebuilt in the Perpendicular (later Gothic) style. This short guide outlines the cathedral’s history and takes the reader on a tour of some of its finest highlights, from the late 15th-century choir stalls, with their ornately carved misericords, to the most recent stained glass, unveiled in 2006.