Ripon, North Yorkshire

What a joy for the Bethel Evangelical Church family to live in one of the most beautiful parts of God’s creation. Ripon, in North Yorkshire, is England’s third smallest city and owes it’s status to the Ripon Cathedral, but there is so much more to Ripon than that…

A bit about Ripon, north yorkshire:

Tucked away in the Yorkshire Dales, at the end of lower Wensleydale, is the beautiful city of Ripon. Founded over 1300 years ago it boasts a georgian market place, three musuems, a seventh century Cathedral and with delightful eatery’s it has something for everyone. Never mind being surrounded the beauty of the Yorkshire countryside from the canal basin or Brimham Rocks to Fountains Abbey or Hackfall woods !

So what is Ripon most famous for? In my opinion it’s not the Cathedral, or that it is considered to have been one of Lewis Carroll’s inspirations for ‘Alice in Wonderland’ or the race course which brings thousands of visitors a year, but rather the setting of the watch by the Hornblower.

Every night of the year a horn is blown at the four corners of the obelisk in Ripon’s Market Square, and again in front of the Mayor, wherever he or she is in Ripon, to set the ‘watch’. The tradition is an ancient one; it is first mentioned in Ripon’s ‘Towne Book’ of 1598 and was already well established by then and continues to this day.

We at Bethel Evangelical Ripon Church consider ourselves abundantly blessed to call Ripon and the surrounding villages our home. Ripon city’s motto is “ Except the Lord keep the cittie, the wakeman waketh in vain” and a truer word could not be spoken, we hope to be a light in this city, to be a witness for our Lord, Jesus Christ, to point other’s to the way of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone but unless He is in us, unless we are obediently living for Him in all we do, unless the power of the Holy Spirit is in all we do, we labour in vain.

ripon church history

For almost 1400 year’s a church has formally being meeting in Ripon. Take a moment to dive into the history of the church in Ripon over the centuries to discover…

things to do in ripon

Discover what to do on your visit to Ripon this year, with something for everyone from breathtaking views across a World Heritage site to adrenaline fueled highs you will not be disappointed!

surrounding villages

Ripon may be the city, but it is surrounded by beautiful villages, all with their own unique charms and attractions. All within 10 minutes of our doors.