Ripley Castle

{{Short description|Country house in North Yorkshire, England}} {{Use British English|date=February 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox building | name = Ripley Castle | image = Ripley CastleDE.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Ripley Castle | coordinates =  | location = Ripley, North Yorkshire, England | years_built = 14th century | renovation_date = 1783–86 | owner = Ingilby baronets | height = | material = Gritstone and ashlar; grey and stone slate | size = | floor_count = | floor_area = | parking = | public_transit = | website = {{URL|https://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/}} | designations = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Grade I Listed Building | designation1_offname = Ripley Castle | designation1_date = 8 March 1952 | designation1_number = {{NHLE|num=1315370|short=y|postscript=none}} }} }}

'''Ripley Castle''' is a Grade I listed 14th-century country house in Ripley, North Yorkshire, England, {{convert|3|mi}} north of Harrogate.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gardens to visit: Ripley Castle |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardenstovisit/8525768/Gardens-to-visit-Ripley-Castle.html |access-date=28 May 2018 |work=The Telegraph |date=21 May 2011}}</ref>

The castle has been the seat of the Ingilby baronets for centuries. In June 2024 it was announced that it was to be sold.

==History== Sir Thomas Ingleby ({{circa|1290–1352}}) married the heiress Edeline Thwenge in 1308/9 and acquired the Ripley Castle estate with its medieval manor house as her dowry. His oldest son, also called Thomas (1310–1369), saved the king from being gored by a wild boar whilst on a hunting expedition and was knighted in return with the boar's head symbol as his crest.

His descendant Sir John Ingleby (1434–1499) inherited the estate at the age of five from his father William and built the castle gatehouse, before becoming a monk at Mount Grace Priory, near Northallerton, and later the Bishop of Llandaff. His son Sir William Ingleby was raised by his deserted mother. Sir John's grandson, Sir William Ingleby (1518–1578), was High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1564–65. Sir William added the tower to the building in 1548. Two of his sons were fervent Catholics on the run from the authorities. Francis, a priest, was caught, sentenced and hanged, drawn and quartered in York in 1586; David escaped to die on the Continent.<ref name = RC>{{cite web |url=http://ingilbyhistory.ripleycastle.co.uk/700years.html |title=Ingilby History |access-date=20 February 2013 |archive-date=20 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220020659/http://ingilbyhistory.ripleycastle.co.uk/700years.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Stephen Proctor captured another priest, Christopher Wharton, in the park at Ripley in 1598. Wharton was executed at York.<ref>{{cite book|authorlink=Michael Questier |first=Michael |last=Questier |title=Catholics and Treason: Martyrology, Memory, and Politics in the Post-Reformation| location=Oxford |year=2022 |page=281}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Christopher |last=Howard |title=Sir John Yorke of Nidderdale, 1656–1634 |location=London |year=1939 |page=14}}</ref>

Sir William Ingleby (1546–1618) was knighted by James VI of Scotland when the king was en route to his coronation as James I of England in 1603.<ref>{{cite book|last=Nichols |first=John |title=The Progresses, Processions, and Magnificent Festivities of King James the First |volume= 1 |location=London |year=1828 |page=82}}</ref> Later that year he captured one of the fugitive brothers of the Earl of Gowrie at Kirkby Malzeard.<ref>''HMC Salisbury Hatfield'', vol. 15 (London, 1930), pp. 376–7.</ref> In 1605 he was involved in the Gunpowder Plot, allowing the plotters to stay at Ripley whilst they procured horses. One of the conspirators, Robert Winter, was his nephew. Ingleby was arrested and charged with treason, but acquitted.

Sir William Ingleby (1594–1652) supported Charles I during the Civil War, and was made Baronet Ingleby in 1642. He fought at Marston Moor in 1644, when the King's forces were totally routed, making his escape to Ripley and hiding in a priest hole while Oliver Cromwell billeted himself there for the night, held at gunpoint in the library by Sir William's sister, Jane Ingleby. On the death of the 4th Baronet in 1772, the baronetcy became extinct but was revived in 1781 for his illegitimate son John (1758–1815).<ref name = RC />

left|thumb|Ripley Castle in 2008 Sir John undertook a major rebuild of the castle in 1783–86 by William Belwood but got into debt and fled overseas in 1794 for several years. During this time the estate was managed by its long-serving steward, Ralph Robinson,<ref>{{NHLE |num=1295915 |desc=Pair of Table Tombs Approximately 15 Metres West of Church of All Saints |access-date=30 July 2021}}</ref> who sold timber from the estate to raise money. Sir John was High Sheriff for 1782–83 and Member of Parliament (MP) for East Retford from 1790 to 1796. His son William (1783–1854) was a great eccentric, drinker and gambler and MP for East Retford from 1807 to 1812 and High Sheriff in 1821. He adopted the surname of Amcotts-Ingilby (his mother was Elizabeth Amcotts) and demolished and rebuilt the village of Ripley, complete with a Continental-style hôtel de ville. Having no heir he left the Ripley estate to his first cousin, Henry John Ingilby.<ref name = RC /> The baronetcy was extinguished a second time.

Henry was created 1st Baronet Ingilby of the third creation in 1866. Ripley then descended to the present 6th Baronet.

The castle is still privately owned, now by the 6th Baronet, Sir Thomas Colvin William Ingilby. The gardens and grounds are open to the public, and guided tours of the castle were previously available,<ref>{{cite web |title=Visitor Information – Ripley Castle and Gardens |url=https://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/visitor-info/ |publisher=Ripley Castle Estate |access-date=7 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240814050137/https://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/visitor-info/ |archive-date=14 August 2024 |quote=Castle Guided Tours ... Private tours are available ... |url-status=unfit}}</ref> but {{as of|February 2025|lc=yes}} there are no longer any guided tours "Due to the upcoming sale of the Estate".<ref>{{cite web |title=Visitor Information – Ripley Castle and Gardens |url=https://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/visitor-info/ |publisher=Ripley Castle Estate |access-date=7 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207175454/https://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/visitor-info/ |archive-date=7 February 2025 |quote=Due to the upcoming sale of the Estate, the Castle guided tours have finished and the Castle is closed to the public at this time.}}</ref> The property was managed as an event venue by Emma Ingilby and Sir Thomas.<ref name="duchess">{{cite web |last=Rutland |first=Emma |date=11 February 2021 |title=Lady Emma Ingilby of Ripley Castle – Duchess |url=https://www.duchessthepodcast.com/episode/lady-emma-ingilby-of-ripley-castle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616094354/https://www.duchessthepodcast.com/episode/lady-emma-ingilby-of-ripley-castle |archive-date=16 June 2021 |url-status=usurped |website=Duchess the Podcast}}</ref>

In October 2021, the castle was one of 142 sites across England to receive part of a £35-million injection from the government's Culture Recovery Fund.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/news/heritage-and-craft-workers-across-england-given-a-helping-hand/ |title=Heritage and Craft Workers Across England Given a Helping Hand |publisher=Historic England |date=22 October 2021 |access-date=23 October 2021}}</ref>

In June 2024, it was announced that the castle and estate were to be put on the market in the autumn.<ref name="...">{{cite news |last=Russell |first=Rachel |date=28 June 2024 |title=Ripley Castle estate goes on sale after 700 years |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4vyvgn5zmo |access-date=29 June 2024 |work=BBC News}}</ref> It was put up for sale with a guide price of £21 million.<ref name=BBCFeb25>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj02eyv4v6yo|title='Why we're selling family castle after 700 years'|date=2 February 2025|work=BBC News|access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref> {{As of|November 2025}}, the asking price was £7.5 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166723985#/?channel=RES_BUY |title=Ripley Castle, Ripley, Harrogate|publisher=Rightmove | access-date=17 November 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251117122353/https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166723985#/?channel=RES_BUY | archive-date=17 November 2025}}</ref>

==In popular culture== The Yorkshire Television children's series ''The Flaxton Boys'' (1969–1973) used Ripley Castle as the fictional Flaxton Hall.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jacob |first=Liana |date=30 January 2025 |title=Ripley Castle: History of Yorkshire country estate where The Flaxton Boys was filmed which is now up for sale for first time in its 700-year history |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/ripley-castle-history-of-yorkshire-country-estate-where-the-flaxton-boys-was-filmed-which-is-now-up-for-sale-for-first-time-in-its-700-year-history-4967501 |website=The Yorkshire Post |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref>

It was used in the 1976 Disney film ''Escape from the Dark'', as the home of Lord Harrogate, played by Alastair Sim.<ref>{{cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mark |date=29 June 2024 |title=Ripley Castle – Historic castle and estate goes up for sale |url=https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/06/ripley-castle-historic-castle-and-estate-goes-up-for-sale/152484 |website=Heritage Daily |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref>

The BBC Television series ''Gunpowder'' (2017) used the castle as a location.<ref name="hordley">{{cite web |last=Hordley |first=Chris |title=Where was BBC's Gunpowder Filmed? |url=http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/story/Where-BBC-Gunpowder-filmed |website=Creative England |access-date=29 November 2017 |date=20 October 2017}}</ref>

In 2021 Ripley Castle featured in the Channel 5 television miniseries ''Anne Boleyn''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Stephanie |date=3 June 2021 |title=The Yorkshire historic castles and stately homes used for filming the Channel 5 Anne Boleyn drama |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/can-you-spot-all-the-historic-yorkshire-locations-where-anne-boleyn-was-filmed-3259635 |website=The Yorkshire Post |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref>

==Architecture== ===House=== The house is built of coursed squared gritstone and ashlar with grey slate and stone slate roofs. A central two-storey block is flanked by a tower at one end and a three-storey wing at the other. The earliest part is the tower, with most of the rest of the buildings added between 1783 and 1786. The tower, at the southwest corner, has two storeys, and fronts of one and two bays. There are diagonal buttresses, a stair turret, and embattled parapets.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1315370 |desc=Ripley Castle, Ripley |access-date=25 July 2022}}</ref><ref name="pevsner">{{cite book |last=Leach |first=Peter |last2=Pevsner |first2=Nikolaus |author2-link=Nikolaus Pevsner |series=The Buildings of England |title=Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2009 |location=New Haven and London |isbn=978-0-300-12665-5}}</ref>

===Brewhouse and laundry block, and dairy=== The brewhouse and laundry block, and the dairy, are to the north of the house. Both buildings are grade II-listed and were built in about 1775.<ref name="nhlebrewhouse">{{NHLE |num=1295879|desc=Brewhouse and laundry block on east side of north courtyard of Ripley Castle, Ripley|access-date=24 September 2025}}</ref><ref name="nhledairy">{{NHLE |num=1150404|desc=Dairy range in north courtyard at Ripley Castle, Ripley|access-date=24 September 2025}}</ref>

The brewhouse and laundry block is constructed of gritstone with stone slate roofs. The central laundry block has two storeys and three bays, and a pyramidal roof with a louvred ventilator, and it contains a doorway, sash windows and fixed windows. The flanking wings have one storey, two bays and hipped roofs. Both wings contain doorways, the left wing has casement windows, and on the right wing the windows are sashes.<ref name="nhlebrewhouse" />

The dairy is built of gritstone and limestone with a stone slate roof. It has a single storey and 15 bays, the central bay projecting and containing a door and windows under a segmental arch, an eaves band, and a coped gable forming a pediment. The outer bays contain doorways and windows. At the rear is a central cambered archway flanked by narrower round arches with large voussoirs forming an open loggia.<ref name="nhledairy" />

===Gatehouse=== thumb|right|The gatehouse The gatehouse, which stands some {{convert|80|m|ft}} to the south of the main buildings, is also grade I listed. It was built about 1450, and is constructed of stone on a plinth, with embattled parapets, the central bay with a lead roof, and the wings with grey slate roofs. The central bay has three storeys, and is flanked by lower two-storey bays. In the central bay is a tall pointed moulded arch, and to the left is a pedestrian entrance; both are decorated with ribs and trefoil arcading, and have boar's heads handles. Above the main arch is a limestone plaque with a coat of arms, and above that is a three-light window, the lights with cinquefoil heads. The outer bays contain single-light windows.<ref name="pevsner" /><ref>{{NHLE |num=1174136 |desc=Gatehouse approximately 80 metres south of Ripley Castle |access-date=28 May 2018}}</ref>

===Orangery=== thumb|right|The orangery The orangery may have been built about 1785. It is grade II* listed along with the surrounding walls, botheys, glasshouse and pavilions, which were gradually developed. The orangery is built of gritstone, and has a single story and fronts of five and two bays. On the front is a central doorway with a fanlight and full-height round-arched windows, between which are fluted ionic pilasters and a moulded entablature, a modillion cornice, and a parapet with vase balusters. The orangery is flanked by coped walls ending in two-bay pavilions in a similar style to the orangery. On the north side of the walls are the lean-to botheys and garden stores.<ref name="pevsner" /><ref>{{NHLE |num=1315394|desc=Orangery with flanking walls, botheys, glasshouse and pavilions, Ripley|access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref>

===Stables=== thumb|right|The stables The stables, coach houses and service buildings were built in 1786 and are grade II* listed. They are constructed of gritstone with floor bands and a grey slate roof, and form two ranges at right angles. The north range has two storeys and 15 bays, the outer bays taller and embattled, and the middle three bays canted and embattled. The east range has a central gateway flanked by two-storey square towers, linked by lower two-storey five-bay ranges to two-storey end towers.<ref name="pevsner" /><ref>{{NHLE |num=1174114|desc=Stables, coach-houses and service buildings to north and east of courtyard at Ripley Castle with south wall to gate house, Ripley|access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref>

===Tower and walls=== The 16th-century tower is built of pink-grey gritstone, about {{convert|4|m}} square, and has two or three storeys. It contains a narrow opening with a pointed arch, and has a moulded eaves band and an embattled parapet. The wall dates from the 19th century, it is in gritstone, about {{convert|400|m}} in length and {{convert|2.5|m}} in height, and has a coped embattled parapet. The tower and walls are jointly grade II listed.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1174173|desc=Tower and flanking walls approximately 300 metres south-west of Ripley Castle, Ripley|access-date=26 September 2025}}</ref>

===Temple=== thumb|right|The temple There is a folly in the form of a prostyle temple in the grounds to the north of the house. It may have been built around 1785, and is grade II listed. It is built of gritstone with quoins, and a grey-purple slate roof. It is approached by two moulded steps, and has four Ionic columns, an entablature, a modillion eaves cornice and a pediment. On the returns are Ionic pilasters.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1150367|desc=Temple at north end of woodland walk, approximately 300 metres north of orangery, Ripley|access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Ripley Castle}} * [http://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/ Official website]

Category:Grade I listed houses in North Yorkshire Category:Country houses in North Yorkshire * Category:Ripley, North Yorkshire