Editing Ripon (section)

===Northumbrian and Viking period===

During its pre-history the area which later became Ripon was under the control of the [[Brigantes]], a [[Britons (historical)|Brythonic]] tribe. Three miles (5&nbsp;km) north at Hutton Moor there is a large circular [[Earthworks (engineering)|earthwork]] created by them.{{sfn|Thomson|1978|p=13}} The [[Roman Britain|Romans]] did not settle Ripon, but they had a military outpost around {{convert|5|mi|0}} away at [[North Stainley]].{{sfn|Thomson|1978|p=14}} Solid evidence for the origins of Ripon can be traced back to the 7th century, the time of the [[Angles (tribe)|Anglian]] kingdom of [[Northumbria]].{{sfn|Thomson|1978|p=14}} The first structure built in the area, known at the time as '''''Inhrypum''''', was a [[Christian church]] dedicated to [[St Peter]], with the settlement originating in 658.{{sfn|Thomson|1978|p=13}} This was founded by [[Wilfrid]], a Northumbrian nobleman, who later became [[Archbishop of York]]; he was granted the land by King [[Alhfrith of Deira|Alhfrith]].{{sfn|Thomson|1978|p=17}}

The earliest settlers were stonemasons, glaziers and plasterers that Wilfrid brought over to help construct the Ripon monastery, from [[Lyon]] in [[Francia]] and Rome which was then under [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine rule]].<ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.ripon.org/history.php|title =Ripon History|publisher =Ripon.org|access-date =1 February 2009|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090330194406/http://www.ripon.org/history.php|archive-date =30 March 2009|url-status =live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.wilfrid.com/Wilfrid_pilgrimage/ripon.htm|title =Ripon|publisher =Wilfrid.com|access-date =1 February 2009|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090607061613/http://www.wilfrid.com/Wilfrid_pilgrimage/ripon.htm|archive-date =7 June 2009|url-status =live}}</ref> The years following the death of Wilfrid are obscure in Ripon's history. After the invasion of the [[Great Heathen Army]] of [[Norsemen|Norse]] [[Viking]]s in Northumbria, the [[Danelaw]] was established and the [[Jórvík|Kingdom of Jórvík]] was founded in the [[Yorkshire]] area.{{sfn|Thomson|1978|p=19}} In 937, [[Athelstan of England|Athelstan]], then [[King of England]], granted the privilege of sanctuary to Ripon, for a mile around the church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discoverripon.org/page/about_ripon.html|title=About Ripon|work=Discover Ripon|publisher=Ripon City Council|access-date=26 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232219/http://www.discoverripon.org/page/about_ripon.html|archive-date=2 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> One of his successors was less well-disposed: after the Northumbrians rebelled against English rule in 948, King [[Edred of England|Edred]] had the buildings at Ripon burned.{{sfn|Thomson|1978|p=19}} Prosperity was restored by the end of the 10th century, as the body of Saint [[Cuthbert of Lindisfarne|Cuthbert]] was moved to Ripon for a while, due to the threat of [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Danish]] raids.{{sfn|Thomson|1978|p=19}}