Thursday 2 September 2010

Ripon Cathedral (or Grassington day out part 3)



Having spent some quality time with my friends enjoying an evening meal in Grassington, it was time to return home on the long car journey as it was getting late. The sun didn't give me any spectacular sunsets as I set out, but i did notice that as I was approaching Ripon, the Cathedral seemed to be lit up in the dark. Strangely enough, it's another place I have usually not given myself time to look around, but 15 minutes spent here would probably be a good idea as there would not be another chance of me getting these night time photographs again.


In 650 AD, Celtic monks were first given a space here by the Prince of Northumbria, in order to use the land to build a monastery. Saint Cuthbert who was alive at that time was Guest Master to the site, but there were clashes over Celtic and Catholic traditions and Saint Cuthbert took successive roles, gradually moving further north to Lindisfarne.


Saint Wilfred was influential in bringing craftsman from France and Italy in 672 AD to build a church on the site. Unfortunately the building was later destroyed, with only the underground crypt remaining, by an English king in 948 AD who had an argument with the Bishop of York..... Spiteful or what !!


The next church to be built on the site was destroyed by William the Conquerer in 1069 only to be replaced by authorisation from a Norman Archbishop from York.......was his style better ?!
It took another 300 years before all the additional features and modifications, such as the west front, to be completed.


I probably overstayed my time here a little and although I didn't regret it, I had roadworks and a further major road diversion to deal with on the way home.... arriving back at 23:30 and concluding the long day out !


8 comments:

  1. Hi, nice to meet you!
    beautiful photo of a magnificent cathedral accompanied by documentation very interesting!

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  2. I didn't know the GRassington cathedral. Thanks very much, for share.
    The light who one found in the photos is very beautiful. Great photos.
    Felisa

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  3. beautiful photos! The old buildings are always nice to be photographed but the Light adds something more... Bravo ! Bye !!

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  4. Sciarada... nice to meet you too, thanks for your comments

    Felisa ..... I had to pass through Ripon on the way home, it is about 30km east of Grassington.
    Thanks for your all support and comments

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  5. Mahon... thanks for your comments, I used to do a lot of this kind of thing when I first started photography, so it is nice to return to it..... it is not often I can get away with certain things on this themed blog I created. I try to push the barriers a little but need a quick eye for a shot. Sometimes I wish I had the chance to spend longer in these locations but do not have the time as I need to move on to somewhere else.......shame.
    While I'm here, i'd like to thank you for your blog friendship because I keep bumping into you all over the world !! haha.

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  7. These are stunning, a great end to a day out.

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  8. oh darn! Ripon Cathedral is one of the next on my list of Yorkshire places to cover on my blog. But it looks like we have very different pics anyway. Beautiful photos of yours, by the way. I love that place. I had thought that I had taken pics of the needlework cushions that line the nave also, but can't find it anywhere. Did you get that photo? I have no night photos. These are gorgeous!

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