Ripon, Yorkshire. The Hornblower – Claude Buckle – 1960
‘Setting the Watch’ is an ancient tradition in Ripon Yorkshire. It dates back more than 1100 years to Saxon times and the year 886. It has been carried out every single day since. This 1960s railway poster, painted by the artist Claude Buckle pays homage to the tradition and the famous Wakeman of Ripon.
The Ripon Hornblower website has written a fascinating and detailed article that we have gathered most of the following information from.
The first recorded Viking attack in England was in 793 on the island of Lindisfarne. Since that time there were many invasions to rob, steal and loot. However, the Viking invasion of Britain in 865 was carried out with the intention to settle. The great Viking army stayed many years in an attempt to conquer all of England.
In 886 Alfred the Great visited the City of Ripon. He was so impressed by the area and the help, support and loyalty he was shown by the local people he granted the community a Royal Charter. To honour his decision Alfred awarded the city a horn and named it The Charter Horn. The Charter Horn is still kept at the City’s Town Hall.
Along with the horn, Alfred told that the people of Ripon that they should be vigilant against the Vikings who still posed a threat.
He suggested that they appoint a ‘Wakeman’, a man who stayed awake and patrolled the area through the hours of darkness. It was his job to keep watch while the townsfolk slept safely in their beds. The town decided that the watchman would sound the Charter Horn at the sign of any trouble.
So, the tradition began that at 9pm each evening the Wakeman would sound the horn at the four corners of the market cross to let the locals know that the ‘watch’ had been ‘set’ and that all was safe.
The ritual continued, almost unchanged until 1604 when a new ‘written’ Charter was awarded the town by James I.
Over the centuries the position of Wakeman had become a powerful position, elected from a group of fifteen of the town’s most influential people. Whoever was voted Wakeman would appoint the other 14 his Constables. The power led to corruption. The officials would make laws to suit themselves and meter out justice as they saw fit, including lashings on the Town Hall Square.
The second charter saw an end to this behavior by replacing the Wakeman with a Mayor. A town official elected by a vote by all the people. The Mayor then appointed a Hornblower to carry out the ceremony of ’Setting the watch’ on his behalf.
The first Mayor of Ripon was a man called Hugh Ripley and the house he lived in still stands at the South West corner of the square. It is known as ‘The Wakeman House’ and appears behind the Hornblower in this poster.
To ensure the Hornblower carried out his duties properly a rule was put in place. The rule required that, when the Hornblower has ‘Set the Watch’ at the market cross at 9pm, he must find the Mayor of the day and report to him that he has done his duty. Wherever the Mayor is, whether it be at home, at a function, or in the Town Hall the Hornblower has to find him, stand in front of him and sound the horn three times. If the Mayor is outside the City or away on holiday it had to be done on the Town Hall steps as if he was in residence.
It is said that if the Horn is not sounded to his satisfaction, the ghostly face of Hugh Ripley will appear in the attic window of the Wakemans House and pestilence and other great tragedies will descend upon the City
The nightly Ceremony attracts visitors from all across Britain and all four corners of the World. In the summer months, there can be as many as a hundred people a night. Even in Winter, there are people who go to watch the ceremony.
