No conductor needed.

Have you spotted the hand?

It was a little girl of five who told us to look up, and there it was.
The current organ in Ripon Cathedral is a fine Harrison and Harrison, which is rebuild of the original Lewis instrument dating from 1878.
The current organ case was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott. One particularly unusual feature is a unique carved wooden hand.
This was used to conduct the choir, via a lever at the organ console.
It was added to the case in 1965., when a rebuild of the organ meant that the organist had to move to a new seat from where he couldn’t conduct the choir himself. How ingenious!

Extra shows the carving of one of the Misericord carvings on the back of the choir stalls, which prompted the imagination of Lewis Carroll to write Alice in Wonderland.
It shows a gryphon attacking a rabbit while a 2nd rabbit disappears down a hole.

The second extra is a photo of the beautiful modern window.
Shows St Wilfred who established the Benedictine monastery here in 660’s.
A modern memorial by Harry Harvey in 1977.
In memory of Charles Sykes 1875 - 1967.
A gift from his wife Elsie.

It was a perfect way to spend a very wet day.
I loved the way old and new blended so well.
Lots more to see. This is a truly magnificent building. One of Yorkshire’s treasures.
We will be back. Hopefully on a fine day.
Ripon is another lovely market town.