‘Alice in Wonderland' author's former home asks $2.17M — where he drew his whimsical inspirations from a neighboring cathedral

New York Post

10-07-2025

Take a tumble down the rabbit hole for this property's colorful history.
The former home of 'Alice in Wonderland' author Lewis Carroll — the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson — is on sale for $2.17 million. The North Yorkshire residence was the seasonal home of Carroll's father, a church official at the nearby Ripon Cathedral.
The sale, listed by Savills, was first reported by the BBC. The outlet reported that the Dodgson family spent three months out of the year residing at the home throughout the 1850s. A young Carroll was forced to spend his school vacations from the prestigious Oxford University there.
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10 Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles Dodgson, wrote the beloved classic 'Alice in Wonderland.'
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10 The North Yorkshire property where Carroll once lived recently listed for $2.17 million.
Savills
10 Inspirations for 'Alice in Wonderland' characters, including the rabbit and the gryphon, can be found in the neighboring cathedral.
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The Georgian-era abode, called Ripon Old Hall, was constructed in the early 1700s and updated in the mid-1800s. The whimsical interiors of its next door neighbor, Ripon Cathedral, are cited as an early inspiration for Carroll's 1865 children's story, 'Alice in Wonderland.'
The house itself is filled with eye-catching details, including intricate plasterwork and hand-carved millwork.
The first floor encompasses three reception rooms, a modern kitchen, a formal dining room and a study, according to the listing. Two upper floors consist of five bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Period features throughout the home include raised wood paneling, marble floors and stately fireplaces. The home's original oak staircase is decorated with carved foliage garlands, and the one of the upstairs bedrooms features fluted, Greek-style columns within the wall paneling.
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10 A living room includes pine wainscoting and a marble fireplace.
Savills
10 The grand starcase.
Savills
10 French doors connect a reception room to the garden.
Savills
10 An upstairs bedroom.
Savills
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10 The view of Ripon Cathedral from the house.
Savills
Most strikingly, perhaps, is the upper hall ceiling, which depicts in the vivid color the Judgement of Paris, a scene from Greek mythology.
While Ripon Old Hall boasts beautiful architectural details, it's the nearby cathedral where the young author likely drew his inspirations.
Intricate wooden carvings throughout Ripon Cathedral bear clear resemblances to Carroll's fantastical characters, including a golden queen upon a red beam and a wide-eyed headless cat sticking out its tongue. Elsewhere, a mythical gryphon pursues a rabbit down a hole.
'The sale of The Old Hall presents an incredibly rare opportunity to own a slice of history,' said Ed Stoyle, director and at Savills in York, in a statement shared with The Post.
10 Ripon Old Hall sits in the shadow of Ripon Cathedral.
Savills
10 The front garden of Ripon Old Hall.
Savills
Stoyle added that the 18-century home offers 'a window into the changing architecture of the last 300 years.'
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The $2.17 million listing also comes with a separate studio apartment, accessed through a private entrance. The space includes its own kitchen, bedroom and a bathroom.
The property boasts walled gardens, including a 'breakfast garden' position to capture the morning sun, or perhaps host a mad tea party.