Ripon Cathedral hosts Plough Sunday Service celebrating farmers’ contributions
Blessing the plough marks the start of a year supporting Yorkshire’s farming community
Farmers’ vital role in feeding the nation and shaping Yorkshire’s countryside will be celebrated at Ripon Cathedral during its Plough Sunday Service today (11th January).
Hosted in partnership with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the event will present blessings to farming families and include an address by Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell. All are welcome to attend.
Celebrating farming traditions
Plough Sunday, traditionally observed on the first Sunday after Epiphany, has deep historical roots. In Medieval times, blessings for the village plough marked the start of the season for sowing crops, with hope for a fruitful harvest to come.
The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, who will lead the service, said:
“It is always a privilege to host this Plough Sunday Service at Ripon Cathedral, organised in partnership with our friends at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
“We celebrate the efforts and contributions of farmers and all who work in rural businesses in caring for the land and livestock, producing the food which is essential to the wellbeing of us all.
“We pray for God's blessing upon them, their labours, and the health of their businesses.”
A gathering for the farming community
Attendees are invited to arrive at 2.30pm for refreshments, including hot pork rolls provided by Tancred Farm Shop and hot drinks from Ripon Cathedral, ahead of the service starting at 3.30pm.
The Yorkshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs will present a ploughshare for blessing, while Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Future Farmers of Yorkshire network members will provide readings.
Representatives from farming charities will also attend, with part of the service’s collection donated to the Addington Fund, a charity supporting farmers in need across England and Wales.
Outside the Cathedral, guests can see a tractor display courtesy of Ripon Farm Services.
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell praised the event as an opportunity to give thanks and reflect on the challenges farming families face. He said:
“Plough Sunday reminds us that before there can be harvest, there must first be hope, hard work, and faith.
“As we gather at Ripon Cathedral to bless the plough and share the words ‘God speed the plough’, we give thanks for those who work the land, for those who support them, and for the deep rural heritage that continues to shape our communities today.”
A year of support for farmers
The Plough Sunday Service is one of several events bringing Yorkshire’s farming community together in January.
It will culminate on 28th January with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s first-ever Yorkshire Farming Conference at the Great Yorkshire Showground. The event will feature a packed trade show, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and a keynote address from Cumbrian farmer and bestselling author, James Rebanks.
Yorkshire Agricultural Society CEO Allister Nixon highlighted the importance of connecting the farming community year-round, saying:
“Bringing people together at the start of a new year, as horizons are reset for the months ahead, is a useful reminder of community strength and support.
“The Plough Sunday Service and the Yorkshire Farming Conference are opportunities to celebrate what farmers deliver for us all, to take pride in the hard work that shapes the countryside, and to look forward as one with refreshed energy and focus.”