Ripon Cathedral
📍 RiponNorth Yorkshire
Grade I cathedral with a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon crypt built under St Wilfrid's church.
What’s free
Entry to the cathedral is by donation (suggested donation £5).
About
Ripon Cathedral began as a monastery in the 660s and was refounded by St Wilfrid in 672. The present church, the fourth on the site, was built between the 13th and 16th centuries and became a cathedral in 1836. Its Early English west front is considered one of the best of its type.
Don't miss the Anglo-Saxon crypt, which dates from 672 and is said to be the oldest structure of any English cathedral still in use. Look out too for the carvings, some of which may have inspired Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and pick up a self-guided trail leaflet.
Before you go
Costs to know about: Photography permit for a small fee; guided tours and ticketed events cost extra.
Opening: Mon to Sat 8am to 6pm, Sun 12pm to 5pm; no touring during services.
Still free?
Checked by our editors on 13 Oct 2026.
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The ObeliskHawksmoor's 1702 obelisk in Ripon Market Place, where the hornblower sets the watch at 9pm✓ Free
The Marquis of RiponPublic art to spot on a walk in Ripon.✓ Free
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