Hornblower steps down and council makes apology after issues over the timing of an ancient watch setting ceremony

Delays to a daily 1,000-year-old tradition in a North Yorkshire city which involves the blowing of a horn have prompted a council apology.

YorkMix also understands one of the Ripon Hornblowers has decided to step down from the role too. This comes after explaining on social media that family issues had made them late to set the watch, which is usually done at 9pm every night.

This was accepted by many on Facebook but others were less sympathetic, which will not have been easy for the person involved to read.

They came after visitors complained that they had missed the ceremony, one of the reasons they visited Ripon in the first place. The hornblowing often attracts people from all over the world and the UK to come and watch.

Ripon City Council has not addressed the departure of one hornblower but in a statement they say:

“RCC considers itself the current custodian of the ancient hornblowing tradition, we take that responsibility very seriously.

“We will continue to do everything within our power to ensure that our employees continue to maintain the tradition in line with both the high standards previously achieved and the expectations of everyone who knows and loves our much celebrated ceremony.

“We sincerely apologise to anyone who was disappointed on the occasions when the watch was set late.”

The horn is blown at each of the four corners of the obelisk in the Market Square and then three times outside the mayor’s house every night.

It commemorates the time in the Middle Ages when Ripon’s first citizen, the Wakeman, was responsible for crime prevention in the city from 21:00 until dawn and had to compensate victims of burglary.