Ripon Cathedral

I went with a friend to Ripon recently. It was a chilly, damp day so we didn't explore too far. We headed for Ripon Cathedral, which stands at the end of an old cobbled street. They had put the bunting up to welcome us! I've been many times before and, for some reason, I wasn't very motivated to take photos, especially when we found that the inside of the cathedral housed a large art exhibition. Though fairly interesting in itself, it very much detracted from the lovely interior of the building. 

The cathedral has an interesting rood screen separating the nave from the choir, decorated with painted statues. Painted stonework was more common in our churches and cathedrals than we realise. Much of it has been lost. 

The pieces I liked best in the art exhibition were the sculptures. I liked these two horses' heads. 

There were also some paintings by Eleanor Tomlinson, a Yorkshire artist and illustrator, whose work became famous during the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee, when her picture of the Queen with Paddington Bear went viral on social media. The paintings were on display in the exhibition but she has withdrawn from sale that particular print and a subsequent one she painted after the Queen's death. She has many other animal prints and illustrations on her website.