Skipton
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| Town and civil parish | |
.svg)  Skipton Location withinNorth Yorkshire | |
| Population | 15,042 (parish,2021 census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SD9902851827 |
| • London | 185 mi (298 km) SE |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SKIPTON |
| Postcode district | BD23 |
| Dialling code | 01756 |
| Police | North Yorkshire |
| Fire | North Yorkshire |
| Ambulance | Yorkshire |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | skiptontowncouncil.gov.uk |
| 53°57′44″N2°00′59″W / 53.96222°N 2.01639°W /53.96222; -2.01639 | |
Skipton (also known asSkipton-in-Craven) is amarket town andcivil parish inNorth Yorkshire, England.Historically in the East Division ofStaincliffe Wapentake in theWest Riding of Yorkshire, it is on theRiver Aire and theLeeds and Liverpool Canal to the south of theYorkshire Dales. It is situated 27 miles (43 km) north-west ofLeeds and 38 miles (61 km) west ofYork. At the2021 Census, the population was 15,042.[1] The town has been listed as one of the best and happiest places to live in the UK.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Evidence for prehistoric habitation in the Skipton area includes an "important outlying group" ofcup and ring marked rocks on Skipton Moor, to the south-east of the town,[9] and in the same area there is an enclosedIron Age hilltop settlement.[10]
The name Skipton means 'sheep-town', a northern dialect form ofShipton.[11] Its name derives from theOld Englishsceap (sheep) andtun (town or village).[12] The name is recorded in theDomesday Book of 1086. The town was important during theEnglish Civil War, and was the site of prisoner-of-war camps during the First and Second World Wars.
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Skipton Castle was built in 1090 as a woodenmotte-and-bailey byRobert de Romille, aNorman baron. In the 12th centuryWilliam le Gros strengthened it with a stone keep to repel attacks from theKingdom of Scotland to the north,[13] the castle elevated Skipton from a poor dependent village to aburgh administered by areeve. The protection offered by Skipton Castle during theMiddle Ages encouraged the urbanisation of the surrounding area, and during times of war and disorder the town attracted an influx of families. It is now one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England and is open to the public.
One of the oldest mills in North Yorkshire,High Corn Mill,[14] is powered by the waters ofEller Beck. The mill dates to 1310 when it was owned byRobert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford; at that point it was transferred to the powerfulClifford family by the thenKing Edward II.[15] Skipton became a prosperous market town, trading sheep and woollen goods. Amarket stemming from its formative years still survives. In the 19th century, Skipton emerged as a smallmill town connected to the major cities by theLeeds and Liverpool Canal and its branchThanet Canal, (known locally as 'Springs branch canal').
During the 20th century Skipton's economy shifted totourism, aided by its historic architecture and proximity to theYorkshire Dales. Skipton was the seat ofCraven District Council from 1974 until April 2023. TheSkipton Building Society was founded in the town.
Skipton istwinned with theBavarian town ofSimbach andErquinghem-Lys in France.[16]
Skipton is part of the parliamentary constituency ofSkipton and Ripon, which was created in 1983. Since its creation, the constituency has returned aConservativeMember of Parliament (MP). As of 2024[update], the seat is held byJulian Smith, a formerSecretary of State for Northern Ireland. Before 1983 Skipton hadits own eponymous constituency.
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From 1974 to 2023 Skipton formed part of Craven District, anon-metropolitan district, and was home of the offices of Craven District Council. In 2007, proposals to make North Yorkshire County Council aunitary authority, removing the layer of government represented by Craven District, were rejected.[17] However the council was eventually abolished in 2023, being replaced byNorth Yorkshire Council.
Skipton has atown council consisting of 16 councillors, formed by four members from each of the four wards within the parish boundaries, North, East, South and West. The council offices are based on the high street, upstairs in the Town Hall. The councillors elect a town mayor each year at an annual general meeting. For 2024 the town mayor was Councillor Mrs Sheila Bentley.[18]
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The town is known as the 'Gateway to the Dales', because of its close proximity to the Yorkshire Dales. As Skipton is the nearest and largest town to a significant area of the Dales, it attracts numerous visitors, particularly on market days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday).[20] Owing to the town's many independent shops and national chains, Skipton has received praise for its enduring individuality and character. In 2008, the Academy of Urbanism voted High Street the best shopping spot in Britain.[21] The wide high street once hosted the sheep market, but now a general market is held there and livestock is auctioned at the Auction Mart on the western edge of the town.
The town is home to a number of hotels, holiday companies, cottage holiday firms and independent holiday lets. The town is the base for several recruitment agencies, environmental and engineering consultancies and financial and legal services. Skipton is a popular commuter town, with direct trains to Leeds, Bradford and London.
One of the town's larger employers isSkipton Building Society, with its subsidiary companies.[22]
Chocolatier Whitakers, based in the town, was established in 1889 in nearbyCross Hills. Ida Whitaker began making chocolates there in 1903, taught by the wife of the vicar ofKildwick.[23]
In 2014,The Sunday Times judged Skipton as the 'best place to live' in Britain.[2] In 2017, an annual study of the nation's happiness andwellbeing by theONS found Craven – which includes the town of Skipton – reported the highest levels of happiness and life satisfaction and the lowest levels of anxiety among residents.[3] In 2018, the town was again listed inThe Sunday Times, in their report on the 'Best Places to Live' in northern England.[4] Additionally, the town was twice listed in the UK's top ten happiest places to live inRightmove's 'Happy at Home Index' in 2020 and 2023.[5][6] In 2024, the town was again judged byThe Sunday Times as one of the best places to live in the UK.[7]
Events in Skipton include the annual heritage event 'Skipton Sheep Day' which takes place on the first Sunday in July and celebrates the town's association with sheep. The event takes place on the high street and features apetting zoo, educational shows and a variety of food and drink stalls.[24]
Skipton has an annualgala on the second Saturday of June. The gala begins with a procession through the town centre featuring decoratedfloats, amarching band and classic cars. The procession ends in Aireville Park with live music performances, a firework display and a variety of stalls. The gala was first held in 1901 to raise money for the Skipton and District Cottage Hospital, but following the formation of theNational Health Service, the gala continued raising money for local charities and non-profit-making organisations.[25]
Skipton hosts aChristmas market during which the high street is closed to traffic and the regular market traders are joined by more than 50 additional stall holders. The event features entertainment, live music, a brass band, funfair and the switch-on of the town'sChristmas lights.[26]
Skipton Car Show is held annually in June and attracts thousands of spectators. The free show sees hundreds of classic, vintage, rare and exotic vehicles exhibited on the town's closed high street. Police vehicles are also displayed alongside demonstrations from the town's fire service.[27]
Skipton Town Hall holds events and performances such as music, theatre and comedy, as well as markets and fairs. In 2021, the building received funding from theNational Lottery and Craven District Council to undergo a refurbishment. It is also home to theCraven Museum & Gallery which has won numerous awards and in 2024 was shortlisted for theArt Fund Museum of the Year Award.[28][29]
The town has twotheatres. The Mart Theatre located in Craven Cattle Mart opened in October 2005 with funding from theEuropean Regional Development Fund, Yorkshire Forward, Craven District Council and the Arts Council England. It provides rural theatre, events and other facilities. Skipton Little Theatre is a smaller 70-seater theatre located on Clifford Street and operated by anot-for-profit group. The theatre is the home of Skipton Players, the town'samateur dramatics society.[30]
Craven Arts is an organisation founded in 2017 by experienced local artists which supportsthe arts and operates centres in the town for exhibitions, events and creative workshops. In December 2022, with funding from Craven District Council,English Heritage,Heritage Action Zone,Arts Council England andArchitectural Heritage Fund, Craven Arts renovated the former Parish Church school located on Otley Street and opened an arts centre. Named 'Craven Arts House', the centre provides studio space, classrooms, meeting rooms, a community hall, green screen room and recording studio. The organisation also operates a small shop, on Otley Street, selling works from local artists.[31][32][33]
Skipton has apublic library,[34] and threebookshops; anOxfam bookshop, selling secondhand books for charity,[35] Keogh's Books, a secondhand and antiquarian bookseller,[36] and The Little Bookshop, sellers of new books.[37] From 1979, the Box of Delights bookshop on Otley Street served the town for almost 40 years, before closing in 2018.[38]
Skipton has a hospitality sector, with around 85public houses, cafés, coffee shops, bars and restaurants. These establishments serve a wide range of food and drink in various settings, from restaurants specialising in world cuisines to traditional Yorkshire pubs.[39]
The town is home to the independentPlaza Cinema on Sackville Street, a cinema showing a varied programme, fromarthouse movies to big releases from major studios.[40] The cinema plays host to Skipton Film Club and the annual Hinterlandsfilm festival.[41][42]
The town has four allotment sites. Three are operated by Skipton Town Council and include two large sites, one in the Middletown area and another on Broughton Road, alongside a smaller site at Burnside Chapel. A fourth independent allotment site is located behind the town's Plaza Cinema.[43]
The local newspaper is theCraven Herald & Pioneer, with a history stretching back to 1853.[44] Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC Yorkshire andITV Yorkshire.[45][46] Local radio stations areBBC Radio York,Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire,Drystone Radio and My Skipton Radio.[47]
Skipton railway station is managed byNorthern Trains and is served by the following routes:
Skipton bus station was rebuilt in 2009 and is the focal point for bus services throughout the local area. Key routes link the town withBurnley,Clitheroe,Grassington,Harrogate,Ilkley,Keighley,Malham,Preston and Settle. Services are operated byStagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire,Harrogate Bus Company,Keighley Bus Company, Lonsdale Buses andNorth Yorkshire Council.[50]
Skipton lies close to the junction of theA65 road (from Leeds to theLake District) and theA59 (fromYork toLiverpool). The northern section (A65 & A59) of the £16.4 million Skipton by-pass opened in December 1981; the rest of the 6 miles (10 km) route (A629) opened in October 1982, greatly reducing journey times to the Dales.
TheM65 motorway signs Skipton as an eastbound destination from its eastern junctions inBurnley, but terminates atColne; the route to Skipton continues as theA56 as far as its terminating roundabout with the A59.
TheLeeds and Liverpool Canal runs through Skipton and is a popular destination for tourists, with walking and boat hire.
As well asThe Skipton Academy (ages 11–16), there are two single-sexgrammar schools:Ermysted's Grammar School for boys andSkipton Girls' High School (SGHS). Both schools are selective by entrance exam and have obtained comparable highA-Level scores. On the basis of the 2009 A level results, Ermysted's performed 13th best in the UK and SGHS was rated 42nd but, in 2011, it was rated at number 44.[51][52]
Craven College is sited next to The Skipton Academy.
Skipton is home toSkipton Town A.F.C.; Skipton Juniors F.C.; Skipton Cricket Club, Skipton Church Institute Cricket Club and Skipton Kashmir,[53] all cricket clubs; Skipton Cycling Club; Skipton Swimming Club; Skipton Athletics Club; Skipton Karate Centre; Strike Taekwondo; Craven Energy Triathlon Club; Skipton R.F.C., a rugby union club andSkipton Golf Club, founded in 1893.[54] The Coulthurst Craven Sports Centre is adjacent to the rugby club, with facilities including all-weather football pitches and squash courts. Skipton Tennis Club is also adjacent to the Sports Centre and has been awarded the LTA Club of the Year Award on several occasions. There are a number of gyms in the town, a public swimming pool, an outdoor skatepark and a pump track. Skipton is host to a free weekly Parkrun event which takes place in Aireville Park.
On 5 July 2014, theTour de France Stage 1 from Leeds to Harrogate passed through the town.[55]
A number of notable people have been born in Skipton. The philosopherHenry Sidgwick was born in 1838.[56]Thomas Spencer, the co-founder ofMarks & Spencer, was born in Queen's Court in 1858.[57] The American mathematicianThomas William Edmondson was born in 1869.[58]Geoffrey Dawson, editor ofThe Times from 1912 to 1919 and from 1923 until 1941, was born in 1874.[59]
Two politicians were born in Skipton: the formerConservative MP andChancellor of the ExchequerIain Macleod in 1913,[60] and theLabour MPJoan Humble in 1951.[61] Former BritishPrime MinisterWinston Churchill's personal physician during the Second World War,Charles Wilson, the firstBaron Moran, was born in Skipton in 1882.[62]
The poet and authorBlake Morrison was born in Skipton in 1950.[63] The formerManchester City footballerRick Holden was born in Skipton in 1964.[64] The actressElaine Glover, who appeared inFootballers' Wives andHolbyBlue, was born in Skipton in 1983.[65]Former Lancashire and England cricketer and coach,Glen Chapple was born in Skipton in 1974.[66] Former England and Leicestershire cricketer, and current England national selector,James Whitaker was born in Skipton in 1962.[67]
Media related toSkipton at Wikimedia Commons
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