The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20080725030610/http://www.ripon.co.uk/history/customs.html
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| The Wilfrid Procession most
likely originated in early thirteenth century religious rituals for the Feast
of St Wilfrid when the shrine and the richly decorated feretory, containing
Wilfrid's skull, were carried round the liberty. Each year Ripon devoted three
great feasts to St Wilfrid: April 24th, the Sunday after Lammas (1st August),
and 12th October. |
"Saint
Wilfred" and attendants ready to depart in procession from outside the town
hall (1990's) |
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| In 1886, against national
derision of its claimed 886 charter, Ripon organised a three-week Millenary
Festival. Other festivals followed in 1896; 1904 for the Tercentenary of the
James I charter; and 1906. The first world war and then the depression brought
the series to an end, but 1986 saw a festival lasting the whole year. Arising
from that came the Boxing Day Pilgrimage from the Cathedral to Fountains Abbey
and the New Year's Eve Torchlight procession from the Cathedral to the Market
Square. Small annual festivals continued till 1996 when the Cathedral
introduced a festival and procession in October. |
Ripon City Morris Dancers |
At Christmas, Epiphany and
Easter mystery plays were performed in the Minster and in the streets and
villages. The Ripon Sword Dance - a mummers play - was a regular part of the
Christmas festivities till 1914 although probably not a very long tradition.
The present Ripon play updates a fairly standard 1880s version. |
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| A new play in the mummers
tradition 'The Wakeman Mummers Play' was created in 1986 for the Ripon 1100
celebration, involving the local Morris dancers. It is presented annually in
the Market Place during the August Wilfrid Festival Week and closes with the
distribution of specially baked, horn-shaped, wholemeal biscuits. The Ripon
City Morris Dancers, formed in 1982, dance the North-West Morris. They appear
regularly in the city and are firm favourites. They are the only team to wear
fresh flowers around their hats. |
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©
Maurice H Taylor 2000
Please click here for
details of the Author |
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