Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/337

EIPON. 325 RIPPLE. " Staple of News," make mention of sharp Ripon spurs. The manufacture of saddle trees is still curried on to a certain extent, together with thut of buttons and hard- ware. There are some iron and brass foundries, engine works, several flour mills, and varnish manufactories, and tanning, and malting;. The borough returns two members to parliament since the reign of Edward VI., and once in that of Edward I. It was first chartered by James I., and under the new Act is governed by a mayor, who is the returning officer, four aldermen, and twelve councillors, with the style of " mayor, burgesses, and commonalty of the borough of Ripon." The corpo- lation revenue is about 250 per annum. A bridge of seventeen arches crosses the river Ure, the navigation of which was brought into the city through a canal con- structed in 17G8. The townhall wan built in 1800 by AVyatt, the architect, at the sole expense of Mrs. Allan- son, of Studley. It contains assembly rooms, and rooms where the magistrates hold their sittings. The mecha- nics' institute was completed in 1849. The market- place is a large square, in the centre of which is an obelisk 90 feet high, surmounted by the arms of Ripon, a bugle horn and a spur rowel, erected in 1780 by the then member for Ripon, William Aislahie. The other public buildings are a dispensary and house of recovery, borough gaol, house of correction, gas and water works, theatre or riding school, four banks, and a savings-bank. The union workhouse was built in 1854. The cathedral of SS. Peter and Wilfrid is one of the best propor- tioned churches in England. It was originally built on the site of St. Wilfrid's abbey, in the reign of King Egfrid, about the year 680, hut the present edifice was not commenced before 1330, and not wholly completed until the end of the 15th century. Almost every style of architecture may be traced in this structure. Its entire length from E. to V. is 266 feet, the transept is 130 feet long, the nave is 86 feet broad, and the choir and aisles 67 feet. At the western extremity are two towers, each 110 feet high; and there is besides the great tower called St. Wilfrid's Tower, containing a peal of eight bells. The crypt is of the Saxon period, and contains a large quantity of human remains in good preservation. The E. window is 50 feet by 25 feet, of stained glass, with armorial and other devices. The altar-piece is Grecian, and there are also portraits on wood of many of the kings of England from Edward III. to James I., besides many ancient and curiously- wrought monuments. The bishopric of Ripon was first erected in 1836 in accordance with an Act of Parliament, and the then head master of Harrow, the Rev. C. T. Longley, was consecrated the first bishop. The Bishop's Palace, a stone building in the Tudor style, about a mile from the city, was completed in 1839. The diocese is in the province of York, and includes the greater part of the West Riding, as well as Richmondshire in the North Riding. The chapter consists of the dean, two arch- deacons, four canons, a chancellor, and two minor canons. The living of the Holy Trinity is a perpet. cur.* in the dioc. of Ripon, val. 300, in the patron, of Simeon's Trustees. The church was built in 1825 at the cost of 13,000. It is cruciform, and in the early English style of architecture, with a spire 136 feet high. The organ is beautiful, and there are sittings for 700 per- sons. There are also the following district churches, viz. Aldfield-with-Studley, Bishop-Monkton, Bishop- Thornton, Dacre, Greenhow Hill, Markington, Pateley- Bridge, Sawley, Sharow, Skelton, North Stainley, and Winksley in conjunction with Grantley, the livings of which are all perpet. curs., varying in val. from 300 to 72. There are places of worship for Independents, Primitive Methodists, Now Connexion Methodists, Wesleyans, and Roman Catholics. The free grammar school was founded by King Edward VI., and incor- porated by his sister, Queen Mary ; the endowment produces an income of about 600 a year. There are also a blue-coat school, infant and National schools, and a Wesleyan elementary school, and a largo training i"illi'ge for mistresses in connection with the dioceses of York and Ripon. The charities, or hospitals, as they are termed, are numerous ; foremost among these is St. Mary Magdalene's Hospital, founded about 1344 ; the alms- houses were rebuilt in the reign of Charles II. ; that of St. John the Baptist is also of ancient date, and St. Anne's dates from the time of Edward IV., and was founded by a Neville. A public butli-house, supplied from St. Wil- frid's Well, was erected in 1813 ; there is also another excellent spring called St. Helen's Well. Saxon coins and remains have been found at Ripon. Fountains Abbey, at Studley, about 3 miles off, is the seat of Earl de Grey, who admits visitors to his park and pleasure grounds every day except Sunday. Ripon used formerly to be noted for breeding horses, and the principal street is still called the horse fair. Races take place annually on the feast of St. Wilfrid in August. Market day is Thursday. Fairs are hold on the last Thursday in January, 13th and 14th May, first Thursday and Friday in June, first Thursday in October and November, and on the 23rd November for hiring farm servants. RIPPING ALE, a par. in the wap. of Aveland, parts of Kesteven, co. Lincoln, 5 miles N. of Bourn, its post town, 4 S. by E. of Fulkingham, and 8 N.E. of Corby railway station. The parish, which is of large extent, is chiefly agricultural. It is intersected by the road from London to Lincoln. The surface towards the W. is diversified by hill and dale, and on the E. slopes gradually towards the sea shore, where it becomes Hat. The land is nearly evenly divided between arable and pasture. The tithes were commuted for land under an Enclosure Act in 1803. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Lincoln, val. 895. The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, contains a figure of a Knight-Templar in chain-armour, a monument of the Marmion family, con- sisting of three full-length figures much mutilated, and figure of the Lady Abbess of Ringstono Abbey in this parish. The parochial charities produce about 18 per annum, of which 8 is the endowment for a school. RIPPLE, a ward in the par. of Barking, hund. of Beacontrce, co. Essex, 4 miles S.W. of Romford, and 10 E. by N. of London. RIPPLE, a par. in the hund. of Cornilo, lathe of St. Augustine, co. Kent, 2j miles S.W. of Deal, its post town, and 7 N. of Dover. The village, which is of small extent, is wholly agricultural. There is a Roman camp in this parish, supposed to have been thrown up by Caesar in his route from the sea to his principal camp on Barham Down. The surface is undulating, and the soil chiefly clay and chalk. The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of 260, and the glebe comprises 10 acres. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Canterbury, val. 201. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, was rebuilt in 1861, near the site of the former one, and has a tower containing two bells. In the churchyard are two yew trees. The charities consist of two almshouses. liip- ple Vale is the principal residence. RIPPLE, a par. in the lower divs. of the bunds, of Oswaldslow and Pershore, co. Worcester, 3 miles N. of Tewkesbury, its post town, and 3 S.E. of Upton. It comprises the chplry. of Queenhill, and the hrnlt. of Holdfast. The village is situated on the road from Bristol to Birmingham, and near the river Severn, which runs through the parish. There is a considerable traffic carried on by means of the Severn. The market gar- dens are numerous and productive. A monastery ex- isted at Ripple as early as the year 770, in Bishop Mil- dred's time, and was granted to the church of Worcester in the 9th century by Duke Alfred, but no remains are now extant. The tithes have been commuted for land and money payments, and the glebe contains about 580 acres. The living is a rect. * with the cur. of Queenhill annexed, in the dioc. of Worcester, val. 1,186, in the patron, of the bishop. The church, dedicated to St. James, or St. Mary, is an ancient stone structure with a tower containing six bells. It has lately undergone thorough restoration. The register dates from 1550. The parochial charities consist of lands now producing about 126 per annum, part of which goes towards church repairs. There is a National school for both