Ripon, Thorpe Prebend House & Fountains Abbey

Monks &Mad Hatters

Monks &Mad Hatters

Discover an amazing chapter of history in the cathedral city of the dales – Ripon. With mansions, museums, a marina and amagnificent 7th Century cathedral for the visitor, it is synonymous with the famous writer Lewis Carroll – author of thechildren’s masterpiece, Alice in Wonderland. This tour blends the interesting history together with the natural beauty of the

surrounding area, from buildings to gardens.

Learn about the chequered history and the links to Lewis Carroll at Thorpe Prebend House – a “Ripon in Wonderland”experience for all ages. Dubbed the house of ideas for Alice in Wonderland, this is an incredible media journeythrough time. Then visit Ripon Cathedral, a place of worship for over 1300 years and a breathtaking spectacle.

Just outside Ripon, is Fountains Abbey and Studley Water garden, a World Heritage Site, where you can explore800 years of history. The abbey is one of the most complete Cistercian Monasteries left in all of England, whilst

the elegant 18th century landscaped gardens and ornamental lakes are a joy to behold. Visit the Elizabethan

Mansion and Fountains Abbey Mill – one of Britain’s finest monastic water mills.

am Spend the morning enjoying Ripon city centre. Visit Thorpe Prebend

House for a fascinating insight into the rich history of Ripon and its links with Lewis Carroll.

Finish the morning in the tranquil surroundings of Ripon Cathedral – an architectural masterpiece dating from the 7th Century.

Stroll down cobbled streets of Kirkgate and Duck Hill to the beautiful marketplace called by Defoe “ the finest and most beautiful square in England”.

pm Head West along the B6265 to Fountains Abbey and Studley Water Gardens – a magnificent Cistercian Abbey with a fascinating history. Roam the famous water gardens, visit the Elizabethan Mansion and Fountains Abbey Mill.

OTHER OPTIONS

• Yorkshire Law and Order Museum Trail – learn about crime and punishment

through the vivid displays and exhibitions

• Shopping in and around Ripon Market Square and select from a wide variety of quality shops

and stores

• Ripon Market – Thursdays

• Take in the Yorkshire Law and Order Museums - stand in the dock and spend time

in original Victorian cells.

• Ripon Spa Gardens - award winning floral displays

• Ripon Races – where horses have raced since 1664

• Lightwater Valley Theme Park - and enjoy shopping there

Alice and the AbbeyAlice and the Abbey

Thorpe Prebend House & Ripon Cathedral

Ripon throughtheLooking

Glass

Ripon throughtheLooking

Glass

Immerse yourself in the rich history of Ripon – where the horn blower still sounds out at 9 o’clock every evening at each cornerof the city’s unique obelisk – the oldest freestanding in England. Explore the Marketplace with its fine Georgian buildings and

quaint medieval streets, leading to a wealth of shops and tea rooms. Make the most of the modern shopping centre witha host of specialist shops and services. Experience the breathtaking Thorpe Prebend House as it takes you on an

incredible journey through time and explores Ripon’s links with the legendary Lewis Carroll and beyond.

From the canal to the cathedral, end up at Ripon’s own cathedral building, where among the magnificentarchitecture lies the famous Ripon Jewel.

am Shopping in Ripon – relax as you roam the medieval streets and marketplace, rich in specialist shops, cafe bars and tea rooms. Spend the morning at Thorpe Prebend House – the house of ideas for Lewis Carroll. Witness the past on an incredible journey through a variety of media.

pm Explore the magnificent Ripon Cathedral – a place of worship for over 1300 years and

a building of the highest architectural and ornate standards.

OTHER OPTIONS

• Yorkshire Law and Order Museum Trail – learn about crime and punishment through

vivid displays and exhibitions

• Ripon Market – Thursdays

• Take a trip to Pateley Bridge and visit Stump Cross Caverns- a natural wonder

• Ripon Spa Gardens - award winning floral displays

• Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden – a World Heritage Site, with over

800 years of history

• Visit nearby Brimham Rocks

• Newby Hall and Gardens – a beautifully restored country house set in 25 acres

• Norton Conyers – Jacobean house and garden famously visited by Charlotte Bronte

• Visit Masham and its breweries

• Have a flutter at Ripon’s famous ‘Garden Racecourse’

All about Alice...and the CathedralAll about Alice...and the CathedralHorton Pic‘Welcome to

Ripon’

Horton PicCathedral & River

Thorpe Prebend House & the Law & Order Trail

Yorkshire Law

&Order Trail

Yorkshire Law

&Order Trail

am Visit Thorpe Prebend House - “The House of Ideas for Lewis Carroll”

Spend the remainder of the morning relaxing with a stroll along the Skell, with its severalbridges, stepping stones and restored riverside. Head along the towpath of the canal to theMarina and enjoy the tranquillity of the Wetlands Nature Reserve. Visit the Spa Gardens to enjoysome family fun, serious sport or just a gentle stroll through the beautiful award-winning floraldisplays.

pm Book an afternoon Law & Order Guided Tour, visiting the three museums followed by a “MadHatter’s Tea” or a supper of traditional Yorkshire fish and chips in local restaurants. The day istopped off at 9.00 pm by witnessing the Hornblower performing the ancient ceremony of“setting the watch.”

OTHER OPTIONS

• Ripon Cathedral - the Cathedral of the Dales

• Visit the Cabmen’s Shelter to start one of five illustrated walks through Ripon

• Explore other architectural treasures of Ripon - the Clock Tower on North Road, the Leper

Chapel in Magdalens Road, the ruins of St Anne’s Chapel ruins beside Thorpe Prebend and St

John’s Chapel in Bondgate

The Jewel & the JuryThe Jewel & the JuryRipon has a rich and fascinating history of crime and punishment. Since Anglo-Saxon times when the “estate and liberty of Ripon”

was created by Charter, the area has enjoyed an independence with regard to the maintenance of law and order. Most of the associatedbuildings can still be seen today.

The quotation “Except Ye Lord Keep Ye Cittie Ye Wakeman Waketh In Vain” on the elegant Georgian Town Hall, servesas a reminder of the role of the Wakeman and his Watchmen. The 9.00 o’clock evening ceremony of “Setting theWatch” at the obelisk, continues a tradition reputedly dating from 886 AD.

The Prison & Police Museum now exhibits the never before told story of Yorkshire Law and Order from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day. You can follow the “Law & Order Trail” to discover life for the poor, the homeless

and the law-breaker in Victorian Ripon.

The Courthouse, a.k.a. Ashfordly Magistrates Court, features in YTV’s popular series “Heartbeat”. Stand in the dockfrom where prisoners were transported to Australia, learn about the Proclamation against vice and watch an

audio-visual presentation of the re-enactment of cases heard during the opening week in 1830.

At the Ripon Union Workhouse visit the vagrants block and imagine being de-loused in the ablution room,and eating bread and gruel before spending the night locked in one of the cells.

workhouse picref 204W