ABSTRACT

There must be at least a hint of sarcasm in these words of Herbert Hensley Henson, written at the age of 83 in 1947, the year in which he died. His words echo some of the contemptuousness which the very name “Ripon Hall” evoked in some circles.3 Yet bishops not only sent ordinands to Ripon Hall, Ripon Hall itself produced a number of diocesan bishops: of Derby, Durham, Sheffield, Ely, Newcastle, Leicester, and Ripon and Leeds.4 It also educated Bishops of Hull, Dorking,

1 I am grateful to Mark Chapman and Clive Pearson for comments on a draft of this chapter. Some of the material used is part of current doctoral research with the University of Birmingham.