Ripon Cathedral Part II Anglophile Friday

 The east end of Ripon Cathedral

In case you didn't see last week's Anglophile Friday, it was, obviously, Ripon Cathedral, Part I.

This week I have a few more photos I'd like to share with you, a few of which are of that interesting pipe organ.

 Will someone give me a hand?

If you look very closely toward the bottom of the photo above, you will see a hand protruding from the wood organ case. What is that doing there?

 Ah yes, now I can see it better

Flanked by angels, the wooden hand is the 'choir director' which is guided by the organist. Cool, huh! (if not a little creepy)

From RiponCathedral.org.uk:

'The first reference to an organ in Ripon Cathedral occurs in the Fabric Rolls for 1399. The present-day, four-manual organ contains two ranks from a 1690 organ. 

'Its history really begins, however, in 1878, when it was almost entirely built from scratch by T. C. Lewis of Brixton. Costing the grand sum of £4,000 without the case, this organ was undoubtedly one of the finest of its day.

'By 1912, however, it required extensive rebuilding: the stops were too loud and an appalling noise was issuing from the engines and bellows.

'The organ was therefore essentially rebuilt between 1912 and 1926, by Harrison and Harrison of Durham (completion of the work being significantly delayed by the outbreak of the First World War).

'Since then, various additions and modifications have been made to the Ripon Cathedral organ: in 1963, 1972, 1988, 1996 and most recently, 2000. The 1996 additions included the horizontal Solo Orchestral Trumpet and a new eight-channel solid-state combination system...

'Finally, the organ case at Ripon was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott. One particularly unusual feature of it is a unique, carved wooden hand.

'This used to be used to conduct the choir, via a lever at the organ console. It was added to the case in 1695, when a rebuild of the organ then meant that the organist had to move to a new seat from where he could not conduct the choir himself.'

 From the Rood Screen

Rood Screen Angels

 Source

A sign in the quire read '15th century misericords. Please do not touch.' The misericords are a little ledge on the bottom of the chair where, when the chair is folded up, still provide a slight ledge upon which the monks might rest during long periods of standing. This carving, above, represents a griffin chasing a rabbit down a rabbit hole. When Charles Dodgson aka Lewis Carroll was 20 years old, his father was Canon at Ripon Cathedral. It is thought that the carving (above) may have been inspiration for Alice in Wonderland.

 Spring Flowers

 Viewing the West End of the Cathedral

 ...and a little farther west,

'Double Luck Take Away'

And 'The Knowledge Magnet'

a toy shop

 

 Why didn't I notice 'Ripon Canal' when we were there??

Too much to see, too much to do.

Not enough time.

Final Call

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Have a great weekend, everyone!

  

This post may be linked to some of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and  Cure for the Common Monday and Mealtime Monday and Clever Chicks Blog Hop and Mosaic Monday  and Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and On the Menu Monday and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and   What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and Love Bakes Good Cakes and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  and Overflowing With Creativity and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and  Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and  A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and  Saturday Nite Special

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