Rejoicing in Ripon: Hats off to the National Trust’s £5.8 million development at Studley Royal
The most significant development in more than three decades at the Studley Royal/Fountains Abbey UNESCO World Heritage Site is now underway.
The £5.8 million Studley Revealed project, which will see the creation of new visitor facilities at the Studley Royal entrance, comes 34 years after the opening of the visitor centre with its café and gift shop at the abbey ruin end of the site, where it is in close proximity to the stunning Fountains Hall.
In August the National Trust announced the appointment of Ripley‑based contractor HACS Group to deliver the scheme. At last week’s groundbreaking ceremony, HACS Group managing director Mark Smith told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog: “As a locally based business we know this site extremely well and are delighted to have been selected for this high‑profile and prestigious project.”
🚧 The start of work has necessitated a 12‑month closure of the Studley Royal entrance and tea‑room, but main visitor routes through the estate and entry through the Visitor Centre and West Gate will be unaffected. 🦌 The car park at Studley Royal will remain open for visitors to the deer park.
🌟 A once‑in‑a‑generation investment
Justin Scully, general manager of National Trust Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, said: “Studley Revealed represents a once‑in‑a‑generation investment in the future of this remarkable site. The project will help us to better care for the landscape and create visitor facilities that are worthy of a World Heritage Site for the millions of people who will continue to enjoy this special place in years to come.”
♿ Accessibility
High on the list of considerations in respect of the design of the development is accessibility, and among those guests present at the groundbreaking ceremony were Lynette Barnes and Jeremy Dunford of Ripon Disability Forum. Jeremy said: “It is clear to see that a great deal of thinking has gone into the provision of good accessibility for people with limited mobility, including wheelchair users and parents with prams and pushchairs.”
📈 Attracting more visitors
Lilla Bathurst, manager of Ripon BID, pointed out: “North Yorkshire’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site is on our doorstep, and with more than 430,000 visitors a year coming to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, there is an obvious heritage link between it and the Cathedral City of the Dales — a link that brings mutual benefit to both heritage‑rich locations.”
Lilla added: “Once complete, the Studley Revealed project will attract more visitors to the beautifully manicured splendour of the water garden and the spectacular abbey ruins. Naturally, we hope that those who come to enjoy this unique site will also find time to visit Ripon and the Cathedral where, in December 1132, a group of 13 Benedictine monks set off along the banks of the River Skell and eventually found the perfect place to build their abbey.”
🏛️ About Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is one of the UK’s most remarkable historic landscapes and has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. Shaped over more than 800 years, it brings together monastic ruins, elegant water gardens and sweeping parkland in a landscape of outstanding beauty and significance.
🌅 Stunning vistas
Visitors can see the awe‑inspiring ruins of the 12th‑century Fountains Abbey and the Georgian water garden at Studley Royal, renowned for its ornamental lakes, follies, statues and stunning vistas. They can also discover the Victorian Gothic St Mary’s Church, Elizabethan Fountains Hall and its hidden walled garden, and a medieval deer park home to over 300 deer.
🍂 A destination for all seasons
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is cared for by the National Trust and offers a year‑round programme of events, family activities and opportunities to connect with nature, history and heritage.
🚌 Enhanced hop‑on bus services
Since the summer, enhanced hop‑on bus services from Ripon and surrounding areas have been running to Fountains and Studley Royal. Details about participating bus routes can be found here: tinyurl.com/29y85fu5
💼 Supporting the local economy
Eddie Ashworth, commercial director of HACS Group, said: “Supporting our local community is something we’re genuinely passionate about, and while we’ve had the privilege of working on a number of heritage projects, this will be our first World Heritage Site — an exciting opportunity to showcase our team’s expertise while helping to enhance a valued community facility.”
🏗️ Working with award‑winning heritage architects
The project team includes award‑winning heritage architects Feilden Fowles, whose previous work includes projects at the Natural History Museum, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the National Railway Museum, alongside landscape architects RankinFraser. Together, the design team has developed proposals that carefully balance conservation, accessibility and visitor experience, while responding sensitively to one of the most important designed landscapes in Europe.
📸 Photographs taken by Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog for Ripon BID.
🎩 It’s hats off all round for the Studley Royal development. Caption
♿ Lynette Barnes and Jeremy Dunford of Ripon Disability Forum pictured at the groundbreaking event with Justin Scully.
🗓️ HACS work on site is scheduled for completion in spring 2028.
🌳 The new entrance facilities will provide visitors with a fabulous view of the deer park lake.
