Chapel of St Mary Magdalen, Ripon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary Magdalen's, Ripon |
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| Chapel of St Mary Magdalen, Ripon | |
| Chapel of the Hospital of St Mary Magdalene St Mary Magdalen (Leper) Chapel, Ripon |
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St. Mary Magdalen Leper Chapel
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| 54°08′24″N 1°30′54″W / 54.140°N 1.515°W | |
| OS grid reference | SE318717 |
| Location | Ripon, North Yorkshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Archbishop Thurstan |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Early English Perpendicular |
| Years built | c. 1139-1140 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 48 feet 2 inches (14.68 m) |
| Width | 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ripon Cathedral Parish with Littlethorpe |
| Benefice | Ripon Cathedral |
| Deanery | Ripon Cathedral |
| Archdeaconry | Ripon Cathedral |
| Diocese | Leeds |
The Chapel of St Mary Magdalen, Ripon is an old and active church in Ripon, North Yorkshire, England. It is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, a friend of Jesus. This chapel is quite close to Ripon Cathedral. It is part of the cathedral's church family, called its benefice.
The chapel was first built in the 12th century. It was started by Archbishop Thurstan. It was built near the St Mary Magdalen Hospital. At first, it served as a chapel for people with leprosy. Later, it helped blind priests. Most of the church you see today was built in the 15th century. It is made of strong limestone. The chapel has been fixed up many times. It was renovated in the 15th, 17th, and 20th centuries. The latest repairs were from 1985 to 1990. Today, it is a grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historic place. It is the only building left from Ripon's old Medieval hospitals.
Contents
History of the Chapel
Archbishop Thurstan started the St Mary Magdalen Hospital. This was between 1115 and 1139. The chapel was built around the same time. It is the only part of Ripon's old hospitals that is still standing. People in the early 1300s said that Thurstan paid for the hospital. It was meant to be a place for lepers. These were people born in the Ripon area. Later, it helped blind priests from the same area. Leper hospitals were often named after St Mary Magdalen. She was seen as an "outcast welcomed by Christ."
Medieval Leper Hospitals
About 300 leper hospitals were built in the Middle Ages. The chapel of St Mary Magdalen in Ripon is one of the few still here. This makes it very important for history and archaeology. Not all leper hospitals had their own priest. But in bigger towns like Ripon, they did. This was because many priests lived there.
The road where the chapel stands was once called Stammergate. Now it is called Magdalens Road. The chapel is about three-quarters of a mile northeast of Ripon Cathedral. It is near the River Ure. It is across the road from where the hospital used to be. Experts think it was built far from the cathedral on purpose. This was because it was a leper hospital. Back then, the hospital was in the countryside. It was not as built up as it is today. When leprosy became less common, the hospital changed. It became a place for other people, led by a "master."
Chapel's Design and Features
The chapel has a single support, called a buttress, at its west end. There is also a small bell tower, called a bellcote, above the door. Another building, the leper-house, used to be attached to the west end. No one knows when it was taken down. Now, the chapel stands alone.
Parts of the chapel show different building styles. The west side has Early English features. Other parts show Norman and Perpendicular styles. The chapel is shaped like a long rectangle. It does not have a tall tower, side sections, or a front porch. The west end is thought to be the only original part of the building. The east end was rebuilt after a Scottish attack in 1321. The floor under the altar has a special pattern. It is thought to have come from a Roman building. Similar patterns have been found in Roman sites nearby.
The windows on the east side are in the Perpendicular style. The single window on the west side is Early English. A smaller window in the middle of the north wall was once a lychnoscope. This was a small opening to see the altar. Now it is a regular window. The font, used for baptisms, is very old. It is from the Norman period. It was once used as a water trough before being returned to the chapel.
The first building was made of gritstone. But later repairs, especially in the 15th century, used hammer-dressed limestone. The church did not own stone quarries in Ripon. But records show large amounts of stone were bought. This stone was used for rebuilding the cathedral. It is also believed some was used for the hospital and chapel. Stone from Quarry Moor, south of Ripon, was used in the renovations.
Later Years and Restoration
After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, many religious places in Ripon were saved. The Canon of Ripon Cathedral became the "Master" of the hospital. One famous Master was Marmaduke Bradley. He was also the last leader of Fountains Abbey. Since 1608, the Archbishop of York chose the priest for Ripon. Since 1686, this role has been known as the Dean of Ripon Cathedral.
In the 1800s, the chapel was not used much. It was even used as a pig-sty for a while! A second chapel was built across the road in the 1860s. This happened when the original chapel became unusable. Reverend George Mason paid for this new chapel.
A special screen, called a rood screen, was in the chapel in 1875. But by 1902, the chapel was not used. The screen was moved, perhaps to the cathedral. In 1917, the chapel was restored again. An architect named George Bland from Harrogate led this work.
The chapel was renovated from 1985 onwards. It was officially reopened in 1989. The chapel does not have a burial ground. But during archaeological digs in the 1980s, some skeletons were found. They did not have burial containers or goods. None showed signs of leprosy. But they were found with pottery from the 13th century. This was when the hospital helped lepers. The digs also showed the floor was lower than it is now. Many original stones were replaced with magnesian limestone. This happened in the 1600s.
The current priest in charge is Reverend Cliff Bowman. In the 1990s, Reverend John Langdon was in charge. Since its reopening, the priest at St Mary Magdalen also leads St John the Baptist. This is another chapel in Ripon that used to serve a Medieval hospital. Besides regular services, the chapel is sometimes used for events. For example, it hosts parts of the Ripon Poetry Festival.
The Wooden Bell of Ripon
In his book, Yorkshire Oddities, author Sabine Baring-Gould tells a story about the chapel. It was a time when the chapel was not used for worship. People living in the nearby almshouses had to go to the cathedral for prayers. The dean, who was in charge, needed money. So, he sold the chapel's bell. The local people were very angry. They demanded he return the bell. With much anger, he did. But later, they found it was a bell made of wood! It was painted to look like metal. The original bell had been sold for scrap. The chapel still has a wooden bell today.
