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The unassuming market town of RIPON , eleven miles north of Harrogate, only really diverts by virtue of its relatively small but vital Cathedral (daily 8am-6.30pm; £2 donation requested), which can trace its ancestry back to its foundation by St Wilfrid in 672; the original crypt is still extant below the central tower. Despite a rather plain exterior, there's plenty that pleases here, from the subtle, twin-towered, thirteenth-century west front to the choir's misericords, full of painted figures of miserable clergymen, executed by the same team that carved the impressive stalls at Beverley. The town's other focus is its marketplace , "&the finest and most beautiful square&in England", according to Defoe, linked by Kirkgate to the cathedral; market day is Thursday. At the Prison and Police Museum , on St Marygate behind the cathedral (April-Oct daily 11am-3pm; £2), the old cells serve as the backdrop for an exhibition on the evils of previous punishments. It's questionable whether conditions in the nineteenth century were worse here or in the nearby Ripon Workhouse , on Allhallowgate (same hours as museum; £1.25), where the "undeserving" poor were incarcerated for such heinous crimes as being unable to pay their bills.
The bus station is just off the Market Place, while the town's tourist office is on Minster Road opposite the cathedral (April-Oct Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm, Sun 1-4pm; tel 01765/604625). There's no huge reason to stay the night, though Ripon is the nearest base from which to visit Fountains Abbey. The range of accommodation options includes the Coopers , 36 College Rd (tel 01765/603708; no credit cards; under £40), a quiet spot overlooking countryside; Georgian Bishopton Grove House , Bishopton (tel 01765/600888; no credit cards; under £40), in a peaceful corner of the town; and the Unicorn Hotel , Market Place (tel 01765/602202; £60-70). There are several small restaurants along Kirkgate across from the cathedral.
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