Rejoicing in Ripon: Ripon’s heritage open days prove a big hit and there’s more to come

Ripon’s 2026 programme of Heritage Open Days has been a big hit among people wanting to find out more about our ancient city’s rich and diverse history.🏫📖

This year’s programme, which started on Friday 11th September and continues until Saturday, has been described by Richard Taylor, chair of Ripon Civic Society as ‘the biggest and best yet.’

He told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon BID “It has been particularly pleasing to see that the new elements of this year’s programme attracted a great deal of attention.”

Among them was the opportunity to look around the 15th century Chapel and Hospital of St Anne on St Agnesgate, while the superb Ripon at War exhibition, staged by Ripon Military Heritage Trust gave an insight into the city’s role in World War Two and featured the stories of a number of remarkable Riponians.

The trust, whose exhibition will remain in place at the library until Saturday, is fighting hard to save military heritage assets including extremely rare buildings that are threatened by the redevelopment of the barracks site, where planning permission has been granted for the construction of 1,300 homes.

For the first time this year, heritage hunters have also been able to see Portly Pig owners Katie and Stuart Ross turn back the clock to the time when their Kirkgate premises were home to the Ripon Gazette Newspaper, while on Queen Street Alex and Natalie Sutcliffe, owners of the Big Bites sandwich shop, have been displaying a stunning 15 foot long banner featuring the mural of a cow and sheep that once adorned a wall at the former Handley’s Butchers.

Richard Taylor said: “It has been marvellous to see how owners involved in Heritage Open Days clearly take great pride in opening their doors to visitors and telling them about Ripon’s history.”

On Saturday, Ripon’s latest heritage asset – a medieval well discovered during renovation work at HALLS of Ripon – will be the starting point at 11am for the Ripon Civic Society Watery Walk.

The 42 foot deep well, which is located on the newly-created terrace at the Marshall Way entrance to the Sustain health food store and café bar, has been turned into an attention-grabbing feature by Sterne Properties Limited, whose installation of a reinforced glass cover and lighting display, means that it can be safely enjoyed throughout the year.

The guided walk is scheduled to take place between 11am and 12.30 and will look at some of the people and industries once associated with the watery side of the city.

Punching above our weight ⚖️

Lilla Bathurst, manager of Ripon BID which worked alongside Ripon Civic Society to support and promote the open days programme, said: “When it comes to heritage, the Cathedral City of the Dales punches massively above its weight.

“In addition to the magnificent cathedral, whose roots go back to the seventh century, we have two further Grade I listed buildings in the obelisk and the Chapel of St Mary Magdalen.

“Add to that a trio of tremendous museums, Market Square, Ripon Town Hall, the city’s historic garden racecourse, the canal that opened 253 years ago and a whole host of other hidden treasures, and we can see why we are high on the list of must-visit places in the north.”

The opportunity to become involved in the open days comes courtesy of the National Trust with funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery.

For more information about Ripon’s ongoing Heritage Open Days programme go to https://visitripon.co.uk/bid-news/ripon-throws-open-its-doors-heritage-open-days-2026-brings-new-sites-and-rare-access/

GALLERY
Below are a selection of photos taken at Heritage Open Day locations by Richard Taylor of Ripon Civic Society.

1. The Chapel and Hospital of St Anne had a steady stream of visitors.
 
2. St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, an architectural gem on Coltsgate Hill, was again part of the open days programme

3. Retired journalist Pete Mudge gave an insight into the life of a Ripon Gazette reporter.
 
4. Rare black and white photographs captured dramatic images of Ripon at War, in Ripon Military Heritage Trust’s display at the library.
5. Tours of Ripon Town Hall, which has recently returned to the city council’s ownership, proved popular. Here the council’s principal officer Sally Taylor is pictured with heritage hunter David Ault in the council chamber.
6. An eye-catching display at the Portly Pig, invited visitors to hear the behind-the-scenes story of the Ripon Gazette’s time on Kirkgate.
7. A banner of this bucolic mural, proved an attention-grabber at the Big Bites sandwich shop on Queen Street.