Ripon Town Hall
RIPON TOWN HALL, MARKET PLACE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1174370
- Date first listed:
- 27-May-1949
- List Entry Name:
- Ripon Town Hall
- Statutory Address:
- RIPON TOWN HALL, MARKET PLACE
Location
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- Reference:
- IOE01/05160/10
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- © Mr Chris Broadribb. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1174370
- Date first listed:
- 27-May-1949
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 19-Mar-1984
- List Entry Name:
- Ripon Town Hall
- Statutory Address 1:
- RIPON TOWN HALL, MARKET PLACE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- RIPON TOWN HALL, MARKET PLACE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- North Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Ripon
- National Grid Reference:
- SE 31210 71216
Details
SE 3171 RIPON MARKET PLACE 1/14 (south side) 27.5.49
Ripon Town Hall GV (formerly listed as Town Hall)
II*
1799. Architect: James Wyatt. Stucco. Hipped slate roof. Two storeys. Entablature to eaves with friez inscribed "EXCEPT YE LORD KEEP YE CITTIE YE WAKEMAN WAKETH IN VAIN". Rusticated ground floor, and continuous plain sill band to first floor. Five bays, of which centre 3 break forward slightly and take a first floor order of Ionic half-columns, with pediment. Sashes with glazing bars, round-arched on ground floor, and with moulded architraves. First floor windows have balustrades, stone with vase- shaped balusters and moulded handrail to outer bays; and delicate cast iron to central bays.
Interior. Entrance hall is a corridor, redecorated circa 1880 with polychrome tiles to dado height, and mosaic pavement. Landing has 2 Tuscan columns supporting a partition wall. Contemporary staircase with moulded balusters, mahogany handrail with spiral curtail and fluted columnar newel. On the semi-landing is a marble bust of Mrs Allanson (the patron of the building) protrayed as a Roman matron.
Various chimneypieces in other rooms: for instance, one (in ground floor north-west room) with fluted pilasters, regularly fluted frieze, "EA" (for Elizabeth Allanson) on raised central die, and dentilled cornice. One (in Mayor's parlour) and more elaborate ornament, including high festoons and relief panel depicting mythological figures. Two larger ones (in Council Chamber) with fluted pilasters, fluted frieze, badges of Ripon, crossed floral sprays and dentilled cornice. Equally large and more elaborate one (possibly slightly later) in first floor rear room. Two ornamental plaster ceilings, one conventionally neo-classical in Council Chamber, one more elaborate in first floor rear room. Two paintings in Council Chamber, one of Ripon circa 1730, one of Mrs Allanson painted in 1804 by Henry Milbourne, but copying a portrait of her at an earlier age.
History. The Town Hall was built by Mrs Elizabeth Allanson of Studley Royal (daughter and heir of William Aislabie), for the use of the Corporation, and was presented to it in 1897 by her eventual heir, the First Marquess of Ripon to commemorate his mayoralty (1895-6). A marble tablet placed inside the hall by Mrs Allanson's sister and heir, Miss Elizabeth Sophia Lawrence, in 1808, records the benefaction.
Listing NGR: SE3121071216
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 330144
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 11-Jun-2026 at 08:32:15.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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