Ripon Courthouse Museum

About the museum

The building was the Quarter Sessions courthouse of the Liberty of Ripon, an area that had been an independent jurisdiction within the West Riding of Yorkshire since Saxon times and belonged to the Archbishop of York in the Middle Ages. It was built in 1830 to replace a medieval predecessor.

Quarter Sessions ended in 1953, after which the court continued as a magistrates' court until it closed in 1998. The building opened as a museum a year later, and the interiors were redecorated in 2005 in their original colour scheme.

The museum tells the story of the courthouse and the people who stood trial there. In the Jury Room visitors see ceremonial halberds and law books used by the justices. The Justices' Retiring Room has portraits of past magistrates, and the courtroom keeps its raised seats for the justices, two docks, a witness box and a holding box for prisoners brought up from the cell below. Visitors can stand in the dock, read the stories of accused people and find out what happened to them after sentencing, including transportation to Australia. The museum is run by Ripon Museum Trust together with the Workhouse and the Prison & Police museums.

Highlights

• Preserved Georgian courtroom with two docks and a witness box
• Stand in the dock and wait for the sentence
• Stories of accused people and what happened after sentencing
• Jury Room with halberds and justices' law books
• Portraits of past magistrates in the Justices' Retiring Room

Permanent exhibition

• Courthouse Museum – An illustrated history of the Georgian courthouse, its courtroom, jury room and justices' retiring room, with the chance to stand in the dock.

Founded

1999

Operated by

Ripon Museum Trust

Admission & discounts

All tickets are valid for 12 months with unlimited return visits. Blue Light Card holders receive 10% off. Annual tickets and donations are eligible for Gift Aid.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum has an entrance hall and three rooms. The entrance has three steps with handrails, the courtroom floors are on several levels and the walkways around it are narrow. The doorway from the Jury Room to the Justices' Retiring Room is too narrow for wheelchairs. There are no visitor toilets in the building; public toilets are nearby, to the left of the courthouse. Assistance dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

The permanent display is described as suitable for all ages. Family & Friends and Small Family tickets cover all three Ripon museums.

Getting there & parking

The museum is opposite Ripon Cathedral, behind Sainsbury's, and about five minutes' walk from the other two Ripon museums.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available

There is no cafe at any of the Ripon museums.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit