Skipton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other places with the same name, see Skipton (disambiguation).
This article is about the market town in England. For the town in Australia, see Skipton, Victoria.
Coordinates: 53°57′43″N 2°01′01″W / 53.962°N 2.017°W / 53.962; -2.017
Skipton
The Gateway to the Dales

Skipton from Skipton Moor
Skipton

 Skipton shown within North Yorkshire
Population 14,313 [1]
OS grid reference SD989517
    - London 185 mi (298 km)  SE
Civil parish Skipton
District Craven
Shire county North Yorkshire
Region Yorkshire and the Humber
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SKIPTON
Postcode district BD23
Dialling code 01756
Police North Yorkshire
Fire North Yorkshire
Ambulance Yorkshire
EU Parliament Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament Skipton and Ripon
Website skiptontowncouncil.gov.uk
List of places
UK
England
Yorkshire

Skipton (also known as Skipton-in-Craven) is a market town and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is located on the course of the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to the south of the Yorkshire Dales, 16 miles (26 km) northwest of Bradford and 38 miles (61 km) west of York. At the 2001 Census, Skipton had a population of 14,313.

History

Main article: History of Skipton

Skipton is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. It played roles in history during the English Civil War and as the site of a prisoner of war camp during the First World War.

Home to one of the oldest mills in North Yorkshire, historical documents indicate High Corn Mill[2] dates to 1310 when it was owned by Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford, at this point it was transferred to the powerful Clifford family by the then King Edward II.[citation needed] The mill as it appears today is only half of what used to exist when two mills were in operation to produce corn for the whole of Skipton. The mill has been completely redesigned, from the mill grounds to the buildings themselves. The outside walls of the mill have been sandblasted and the two main buildings of the old mill have been turned into flats from 2007 onwards, with one stand-alone building yet to be redesigned, touched or Sandblasted.

Skipton was anciently distinguished by Skipton Castle, constructed in 1090 as a wooden motte-and-bailey by Robert de Romille, a Norman baron. In the 12th century William le Gros strengthened it with a stone keep to repel attacks from the Kingdom of Scotland to the north,[citation needed] the erection of which elevated Skipton from a poor dependent village to a burgh administered by a reeve. The protection offered by Skipton Castle during the Middle Ages encouraged the urbanisation of the surrounding area, and during times of war and disorder, attracted an influx of families.

Skipton became a prosperous market town, trading sheep and woollen goods, which also led to its naming, derived from the Old English sceap (sheep) and tun (town or village).[3] A market stemming from its formative years still survives, albeit with significant modification. In the 19th century, Skipton emerged as a small mill town connected to the major cities by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and its branch Thanet Canal, (known locally as 'Springs branch canal'), but during the 20th century Skipton's economy shifted to tourism, aided by its historic architecture and proximity to the Yorkshire Dales. Since 1974, Skipton has been the seat of Craven District Council. The Skipton Building Society was founded in the town.

Government

Skipton is part of the parliamentary constituency of Skipton and Ripon, which was created in 1983. The constituency has returned a Conservative MP since its inception. The seat is currently held by Julian Smith MP. Before 1983 Skipton had its own eponymous constituency.

Skipton forms part of Craven District, a Non-metropolitan district, and is home of the offices of Craven District Council. In 2007, proposals to make North Yorkshire County Council a unitary authority, removing the layer of government represented by Craven District, were rejected.[4]

Skipton has its own town council consisting of 16 Councillors, formed by 4 members from each of the four wards within the parish boundaries, [North, East, South and West]. Skipton Town Councillors elect a Town Mayor each year at its Annual General Meeting. This year, the Town Mayor is Councillor John Kerwin-Davey.[5] The Town Council Offices are based on the High Street, above Barclay's Bank.

Economy

The town's major local employer is Skipton Building Society and its subsidiary companies. The town is home to several holiday companies, including Blue Water Holidays and several cottage holiday firms. It is also a centre for recruitment, with several hundred people employed in this sector. Recruitment firms include Medacs, JCJ, Holt and Medic International (Healthcare Recruitment Companies), Cody (a firm for Recruitment Consultant jobs) and Justteachers (a supply teachers agency). Tourism and retail sales are also significant. The town is known as the "Gateway to the Dales", due to its close proximity to the Yorkshire Dales. Skipton has many visitors, particularly on market days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday). As Skipton is the nearest and largest town to most of the small towns and villages within the Dales it attracts numerous shoppers. In 2008 the Academy of Urbanism voted High Street the best shopping spot in Britain.[6] The wide main street used to host the sheep market, but now a general market is held there four days a week, and livestock is auctioned at the Auction Mart on the western edge of the town. The town has three official allotment sites.

A brewery opened in 2002. The Copper Dragon Brewery produce five different cask beers, four of which are bottled.[7] The company's logo is a green dragon coiled around the top of a brewer's copper kettle. Copper Dragon currently has seven pubs.[8]

Culture and community

On Saturday 13 July 1901, a gala was held in Skipton to raise money for the Skipton and District Cottage Hospital, built at the time of Queen Victoria's Jubilee, held on the Brick Buildings Fields off Bailey Road. This was such a major event in the area that extra trains were provided to bring visitors to the town from miles around. After the formation of the National Health Service, with the hospital being funded from central government, the Skipton Charities Gala continued raising money for local charities and non-profit-making organisations. The gala, held every year on the second Saturday in June, starts with a procession through the town centre to Aireville Park, where live performance acts entertain the public, culminating in live music and a firework display.

Craven Museum & Gallery

The town hall in Skipton holds regular craft fairs and special events and also houses a local history museum..

Skipton Little Theatre is located near the town centre. The Mart Theatre opened in October 2005 with funding from the European Regional Development Fund, Yorkshire Forward, Craven District Council and the Arts Council England. It provides rural theatre, events and other facilities within a functioning Auction Mart.

Skipton is twinned with the Bavarian town of Simbach. In May 2009 the town council decided to proceed with twinning with Erquinghem-Lys in France.[9]

Skipton has numerous public houses, two nightclubs (within one building), and restaurants including traditional fish and chips, modern British, Mexican, Indian, Greek, Chinese and Italian.

The local newspaper is the Craven Herald & Pioneer.

Transport

Skipton Waterway Festival
Skipton railway station

Skipton lies close to the junction of the A65 road (from Leeds to the Lake District) and the A59 from York to Liverpool. The north section (A65 & A59) of the £16.4 million Skipton Bypass opened in December 1981. The rest of the 6 miles (10 km) bypass (A629) opened in October 1982, greatly reducing journey times to the Dales.

Skipton railway station gives access southbound to regular services for Leeds and Bradford on the electrified Airedale Line; northbound services connect to Lancaster, Morecambe and Carlisle; the latter route is along the scenic Settle-Carlisle Railway, passing over the Ribblehead Viaduct. Skipton bus station was rebuilt in 2009.

The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs through Skipton and is a popular destination for tourists, with walking and boat hire.

Education

Primary education

Secondary education

As well as Aireville School (ages 11–16), there are two single-sex grammar schools: Ermysted's Grammar School for boys, and Skipton Girls' High School (SGHS). Both schools are selective by entrance exam and obtain comparable high A-Level scores. On the basis of the 2009 A level results Ermysted's performed 13th best in the UK and SGHS was rated 42nd.[10]

Further education

Sport

Skipton is home to Skipton Town A.F.C. and Skipton LMS, both football clubs; three cricket clubs; Skipton Cricket Club, Skipton Cycling Club, Skipton Athletic Club and Skipton CI, Skipton Kashmir;[11] and Skipton R.F.C., a rugby union club. The Coulthurst Craven Sports Centre is adjacent to the rugby club, with facilities including all-weather football pitches and squash courts. There are a number of gyms in the town and a public swimming pool.

Notable people

A number of notable people have been born in Skipton. The philosopher Henry Sidgwick was born in Skipton in 1838.[12] Thomas Spencer, the co-founder of Marks & Spencer, was born in Queen's Court, Skipton in 1858.[13] The American mathematician Thomas William Edmondson was born in Skipton in 1869.[citation needed] Geoffrey Dawson, editor of The Times from 1912 to 1919 and from 1923 until 1941, was born in Skipton in 1874.[14]

Two politicians were born in Skipton: the former Conservative MP and Chancellor of the Exchequer Iain Macleod in 1913,[15] and the Labour MP Joan Humble in 1951.[16] Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's personal physician during the Second World War, Charles Wilson, the first Baron Moran, was born in Skipton in 1882.[17]

The poet and author Blake Morrison was born in Skipton in 1950.[18] The former Manchester City footballer Rick Holden was born in Skipton in 1964.[19] The actress Elaine Glover, who appeared in Footballers' Wives and HolbyBlue, was born in Skipton in 1983.[20] Former England cricketer and current captain of Lancashire County Cricket Club, Glen Chapple was born in Skipton in 1974.[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Census, 2001
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Morris, R. W. (1982). Yorkshire Through Place Names. David & Charles. p. 123. ISBN 0-7153-8230-6. 
  4. ↑ Speak, Jenny (27 July 2007). "Unitary council plan scrapped". Craven Herald & Pioneer. Retrieved 14 August 2007. 
  5. ↑ Clerk to the Council (17 May 2012). "Skipton Town Mayor". Skipton Town Council. 
  6. ↑ Brown Jonathan (28 November 2008). "Vibrant Yorkshire Dales town has best high street in Britain". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved on 3 July 2009.
  7. ↑ "Copper Dragon (UK)". ratebeer.com. Retrieved 17 July 2009. 
  8. ↑ "- Yorkshire's Fastest Growing Brewery". www.copperdragon.uk.com. Retrieved 17 July 2009. 
  9. ↑ "Skipton set to get French twin town". Craven Herald & Pioneer. 21 May 2009. p. 5. 
  10. ↑ , The Guardian 2009.
  11. ↑ "Skipton Kashmir defy Patel’s best efforts (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)". Retrieved 14 November 2011. 
  12. ↑ Moggridge, Donald Edward (1995). Maynard Keynes: An Economist's Biography. Routledge. p. 57. ISBN 0-415-12711-4. 
  13. ↑ "M&S may open in Skipton". Telegraph & Argus. 20 January 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2008. 
  14. ↑ "Obituary: Mr Geoffrey Dawson". The Times. 8 November 1944. 
  15. ↑ Wright, Greg (29 July 2008). "Words of a 'forgotten politician' have returned to haunt us". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 19 August 2008. 
  16. ↑ "Joan Humble > Biographical details". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 19 August 2008. 
  17. ↑ "Wilson, (Charles McMoran), Baron Moran of Manton". Royal College of Physicians. Retrieved 19 August 2008. 
  18. ↑ "Blake Morrison: Biography". British Council. Retrieved 14 April 2009. 
  19. ↑ "Rick Holden". Soccerbase. Retrieved 19 August 2008. 
  20. ↑ "Biography for Elaine Glover". IMDb. Retrieved 19 August 2008. 
  21. ↑ "Glen Chapple". England & Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 11 April 2012. 

External links

Media related to Skipton at Wikimedia Commons

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Skipton.
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