The cathedral joined forces with Knaresborough's Roosters Brewery on Monday to bring more than 10 beers from across Britain to the festival along with a barbecue and live bands.

Margaret Hammond, cathedral campaign manager, said: "It was very well attended - we had more than 800 people through the gates.

"This was the third year we have done this, the last two times we ran out of beer but this year we made sure we had enough.

"It was a good mix of beers and a good mix of music and we were very lucky with the weather."

Mrs Hammond said the day had a family feel with many visitors bringing children and picnics to the cathedral grounds in High Saint Agnesgate.

She went on to thank the army of volunteers who helped set up the festival and said the event was now 'firmly fixed' in the Ripon calendar.

The £6000 raised from the beer festival will go to the Vision Project, a scheme to equip the cathedral with new lighting to reveal its stonework, memorials, choir stalls, sacred silver, ironwork and the 1,350-year-old St Wilfrid's Crypt. The Heritage Lottery Fund has already given £514,000 towards the project.

Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev Keith Jukes said: "This grant will help open up the treasures of the cathedral to all that come and visit which hitherto, because of the inadequate wiring and lighting, they have not been able to enjoy.

"We hope that once the project is completed by the end of next year we will be revealing over 1,350 years of Yorkshire heritage both for ourselves and future generations."