Home thoughts from Yorkshire .............. turning a corner and finding a Cathedral

Now I am never quite prepared for Ripon Cathedral which suddenly appears as you wander down Kirkgate from the market square.

The narrow lane twists and drops slightly and it is easy to be way laid by the mix of gift shops, and restaurants and then just after the road divides as you follow the bend there it is.

And as you come to the end of Kirkgate it becomes a huge edifice which dwarfs everything.

Not that  this was the first introduction to the Cathedral that had been a few years ago and via the bottom car park which by degree took you into the car park behind Sainsbury’s through a small garden and out across Minister Road.

There was a stone church here as early as 672 which mean the spot has been a place of worship for over 1,300 years and by chance we arrived on Sunday the new bishop for Richmond was being consecrated which rather added to what had been a pleasant day.

Sadly we had got there too late to visit Ripon’s three museums but the market Square was as impressive as ever with that added bonus that as this was a Sunday the place was empty and the full grandeur was there to see.

And this included four red telephone boxes which may not be as old as the cathedral but are coming to be a rare sight.

Pictures; Ripon, July 2015 from the collection of Andrew Simpson