Liberty of Ripon
Encyclopedia
The Liberty of Ripon or Riponshire was a liberty
possessing separate county jurisdiction, although situated within the county of Yorkshire
.
The liberty was under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of York
, a privilege claimed to have been granted by King Aethelstan
in the tenth century. The liberty was governed by a high steward and justices of the peace, appointed by the archbishop, and the area had separate quarter sessions
, in conjunction with the mayor and recorder of the borough
of Ripon
, in whose town hall they were held.
In 1831 the following parishes and townships (locally in the North
and West Ridings
of Yorkshire) were in the liberty:
In 1836 the temporal jurisdiction of the archbishop was ended, with the power to appoint justices revested in the crown, and in 1837 the townships locally in the North Riding were removed from the liberty.
In 1889, the Local Government Act 1888
came into operation. Section 48 of the Act merged "every liberty and franchise of a county" into its surrounding administrative county
. While this was the end of the liberty's administrative functions, separate quarter sessions continued until 1953, and it was also a distinct unit for land tax purposes for some time.
Liberty (division)
Originating in the Middle Ages, a liberty was traditionally defined as an area in which regalian rights were revoked and where land was held by a mesne lord...
possessing separate county jurisdiction, although situated within the county of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.
The liberty was under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, a privilege claimed to have been granted by King Aethelstan
Athelstan of England
Athelstan , called the Glorious, was the King of England from 924 or 925 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder, grandson of Alfred the Great and nephew of Æthelflæd of Mercia...
in the tenth century. The liberty was governed by a high steward and justices of the peace, appointed by the archbishop, and the area had separate quarter sessions
Quarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
, in conjunction with the mayor and recorder of the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Ripon
Ripon
Ripon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
, in whose town hall they were held.
In 1831 the following parishes and townships (locally in the North
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
and West Ridings
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
of Yorkshire) were in the liberty:
- Most of RiponRiponRipon is a cathedral city, market town and successor parish in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, located at the confluence of two streams of the River Ure in the form of the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature the Ripon Cathedral which is architecturally...
- Felix-Kirk
- Sutton under Whitestone Cliffe
- Kilburn
- Nidd with KillinghallKillinghallKillinghall is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England.It is located three miles north of Harrogate extending south from the bridges on the A61 over the river Nidd. The undeveloped area between Killinghall and Harrogate is known as Killinghall Moor. The...
- Marton cum Moxby
In 1836 the temporal jurisdiction of the archbishop was ended, with the power to appoint justices revested in the crown, and in 1837 the townships locally in the North Riding were removed from the liberty.
In 1889, the Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
came into operation. Section 48 of the Act merged "every liberty and franchise of a county" into its surrounding administrative county
Administrative county
An administrative county was an administrative division in England and Wales and Ireland used for the purposes of local government. They are now abolished, although in Northern Ireland their former areas are used as the basis for lieutenancy....
. While this was the end of the liberty's administrative functions, separate quarter sessions continued until 1953, and it was also a distinct unit for land tax purposes for some time.