A stunning mural from the Victorian era, made up of dozens of ornate hand-painted tiles and a former bustling newspaper office, where journalists once wrote Ripon’s news, feature for the first time in the city’s diverse 2026 programme of Heritage Open Days. 🏫📖
People wanting to know what connects a former traditional butcher’s shop in Queen Street and the Portly Pig hostelry less than 150 yards away in Kirkgate, will be able to find the answer over the next ten days.
Richard Taylor, chair of the city’s Civic Society told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog: “The two properties are additions to this year’s programme and it is particularly pleasing to be able to reflect on the role that we have played over the past 58 years in protecting the city’s heritage assets.”
He pointed out: “In 1983 the mural which had adorned a wall of the former Handley’s Butchers for decades was destined for the chop, but the society’s intervention saved it from going on a rubbish heap.”
Richard added: “Dewhurst Butchers, the then owners of the property, heard the society’s plea and in an act of civic generosity, agreed to donate the mural and pay for a team from the Jackfield Tile Museum in Ironbridge Shropshire to carry out the painstaking task of removing each tile and reassembling the mural.
“There was, however, one downside of the rescue operation as the society was unable to find a new location in Ripon for the mural, but it can be seen in its full glory at the world-famous Ironbridge museum.”
A tourist attraction 💼
Peter Hartley, who worked at Dewhurst shops in Harrogate, Wetherby and Ripon for five years before following a different career path, can testify to the fact that the mural, which he used to clean daily in his six-month stint in Queen Street shop, is a tourist attraction.
He said: “At the time Dewhurst had two shops in Ripon and the one that I ran single handed was so quiet in terms of customers through its doors, that I often nodded off in the afternoons, only to be awakened by visitors who hadn’t come to buy any meat but wondered if they could have a look at the mural and take photographs of it.”
Peter added: “It’s only since I received a recent phone call from Richard Taylor that I discovered what had happened to the mural and seeing this image of it brings back memories of the days that I spent in the shop.”
Heritage Open Days programme starts today🌞
From Friday September 11th until September 19th, the Heritage Open Days will give free access to historically significant buildings that are part of Ripon’s rich heritage and there will also be a number of fascinating and fact-filled guided heritage walks.
In addition to 6 Queen Street and the Portly Pig premises, the buildings include Ripon’s magnificent Cathedral whose roots date back to the seventh century, the nearby Georgian Courthouse and Ripon’s 18th century Town Hall.
Everyday Histories in Ripon🌳
Lilla Bathurst, Manager of Ripon BID, which has worked in partnership with Ripon Civic Society to organise the programme, said: “This year’s national theme is Everyday Histories and we have many fine examples of buildings that have been refurbished and remain part of our ancient city’s built environment.”
She added: “The former butchers that subsequently became an off-licence remained vacant for several years before being purchased and refurbished by Ripon-based Sterne Properties Limited and the renovated shop unit is now home to the popular Big Bites sandwich shop owned and run by Alex and Natalie Sutcliffe.”
A Big Bites talking point 🥖🥘
Alex said: “We relocated in June from a few doors down on Queen Street and were delighted to discover that we are in a building with such an interesting history.
“It certainly gives our customers something to talk about when they are tucking into their sandwiches.”
With permission from the Jackfield Tile Museum, the Civic Society has produced a banner featuring the mural and this can be seen in the seating area at Big Bites.
The inside story of newspaper production📜
Another throwback to Victorian times in the city sees the spotlight on premises in Kirkgate occupied by The Portly Pig, which is owned and run by husband and wife Stuart and Katie Ross.
It is holder of the Pub of the Year award presented in April by members of the Harrogate and Ripon branch of CAMRA.
The building served as offices for Ripon Council from1835 to 1851, before it became a Borough Police Station with cells that were added as an extension.
Immediately prior to being transformed into a hostelry serving craft and cask ales and canned beers, the ground floor of the building was a florist’s shop but for many, it will be best remembered as the offices of the Ripon Gazette newspaper, whose former employees include Pete Mudge, who still lives in the city.
As part of the open days programme, the retired journalist who worked for the Ackrill Newspaper Group for ten years, will be taking a walk down memory lane to give visitors the inside story of how papers were produced in the pre-internet period, before new technology and direct input made typewriters obsolete.
The opportunity to become involved in the open days comes courtesy of the National Trust with funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery.
