Skipton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Skipton
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| Town and civil parish | |
 Skipton from Park Hill |
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 Skipton
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| Population | 15,042 (parish, 2021 census) |
| OS grid reference | SD9902851827 |
| • London | 185 mi (298 km) SE |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority |
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| 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 |
| EU Parliament | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| UK Parliament |
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| Website | skiptontowncouncil.gov.uk |
Skipton (also called Skipton-in-Craven) is a busy market town in North Yorkshire, England. It sits on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The town is just south of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
Skipton is about 27 miles (43 km) north-west of Leeds. It is also 38 miles (61 km) west of York. In 2021, about 15,042 people lived there. Skipton has often been named one of the best and happiest places to live in the UK.
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History of Skipton
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People lived in the Skipton area a very long time ago. There are old rock carvings on Skipton Moor. An ancient Iron Age settlement was also found there.
The name Skipton means 'sheep-town'. It comes from old English words for 'sheep' and 'town'. The town's name was first written down in 1086. Skipton was important during the English Civil War. It also held prisoner-of-war camps in the First and Second World Wars.
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Skipton Castle was first built in 1090. It was a wooden castle made by a Norman baron named Robert de Romille. In the 1100s, William le Gros made it stronger. He added a stone tower to protect against attacks from Scotland. The castle helped Skipton grow from a small village into a proper town. It offered safety during wars. Many families moved there for protection. Today, it is one of England's best-kept medieval castles. You can visit it.
One of North Yorkshire's oldest mills is High Corn Mill. It uses water from Eller Beck to power its machinery. The mill dates back to 1310. It was given to the powerful Clifford family by King Edward II.
Skipton became a rich market town. It traded a lot of sheep and wool. The market from its early days still runs today. In the 1800s, Skipton grew as a small mill town. It was connected to big cities by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
In the 1900s, Skipton's economy changed. It became popular for tourism. This was because of its old buildings and its location near the Yorkshire Dales. The Skipton Building Society was also started in the town.
Skipton is twinned with two towns. One is Simbach am Inn in Germany. The other is Erquinghem-Lys in France.
How Skipton is Governed
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Skipton is part of the Skipton and Ripon area. This area chooses a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person who represents the area in the UK Parliament. Since 1983, a Conservative MP has been chosen. Currently, Julian Smith is the MP for Skipton and Ripon.
From 1974 to 2023, Skipton was part of Craven District. This was a local government area. In 2023, Craven District Council was replaced. Now, North Yorkshire Council looks after the area.
Skipton has its own town council. This council has 16 members called councillors. They are chosen from four areas of the town. The council offices are in the Town Hall. The councillors choose a town mayor each year. In 2024, Councillor Mrs Sheila Bentley was the town mayor.
Skipton's Economy
The town is known as the 'Gateway to the Dales'. This is because it is very close to the Yorkshire Dales. Skipton is the biggest town near a large part of the Dales. This brings many visitors, especially on market days. Market days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Skipton has many unique local shops and bigger chain stores. Its High Street was even voted the best shopping spot in Britain in 2008. The wide High Street used to be where sheep were sold. Now, a general market is held there. Livestock is sold at the Auction Mart on the edge of town.
Many hotels and holiday companies are based in Skipton. The town is also home to businesses like recruitment agencies and financial services. Skipton is a popular place for people who travel to work in other cities. Direct trains go to Leeds, Bradford, and London.
One of the town's biggest employers is Skipton Building Society. This is a company that helps people save money and buy homes.
Whitakers Chocolatier is a chocolate company in Skipton. It started in 1889 in a nearby village.
Culture and Community
The Sunday Times newspaper has often called Skipton one of the 'best places to live' in Britain. In 2017, a study found that people in the Skipton area were very happy. They reported high levels of happiness and low anxiety.
Skipton has many fun events. The 'Skipton Sheep Day' happens every year in July. It celebrates the town's link to sheep. You can see a petting zoo, shows, and food stalls.
Skipton also has an annual gala in June. It starts with a parade through town. The parade has decorated floats, a marching band, and classic cars. It ends in Aireville Park with music and fireworks. The gala raises money for local charities.
A Christmas market is held in Skipton. The High Street is closed to cars. Many extra stalls join the regular market traders. There is entertainment, live music, and the Christmas lights are switched on.
The Skipton Car Show happens every June. Hundreds of classic and rare cars are shown on the High Street. Police and fire service vehicles are also displayed.
Skipton Town Hall hosts craft fairs and special events. It also has the Craven Museum & Gallery. This museum shows local history and art. There is also a tourist information centre there.
The town has two theatres. The Mart Theatre is a larger venue for shows and events. Skipton Little Theatre is smaller and run by a local group. It is home to the Skipton Players, the town's amateur drama group.
Craven Arts is a group that supports art in the town. They have an arts centre called 'Craven Arts House'. It has studios, classrooms, and a recording studio. They also have a shop selling art by local artists.
Skipton has a public library and three bookshops. These include a charity bookshop, a secondhand bookshop, and a new bookshop.
The town has many places to eat and drink. There are about 85 public houses, cafés, coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. You can find many types of food, from world cuisines to traditional Yorkshire meals.
The independent Plaza Cinema shows different kinds of movies. It hosts the Skipton Film Club and the Hinterlands film festival.
The local newspaper is the Craven Herald & Pioneer. It has been around since 1853.
Transport in Skipton
Railway Travel
Skipton railway station is managed by Northern Trains. You can catch trains to several places:
- The Airedale Line has regular trains to Keighley, Bradford Forster Square, and Leeds.
- Trains also go north to Lancaster, Morecambe, Settle, and Carlisle. The route to Carlisle is very scenic. It goes over the famous Ribblehead Viaduct.
- One train a day goes to London King's Cross, stopping in Leeds.
Bus Travel
Skipton bus station was rebuilt in 2009. It is the main place for buses in the area. Buses connect Skipton to towns like Clitheroe, Harrogate, Ilkley, Malham, and Preston.
Road Travel
Skipton is near where two main roads meet. These are the A65 road (which goes to the Lake District) and the A59 (which goes to York and Liverpool). A bypass road around Skipton opened in the early 1980s. This made journeys to the Dales much quicker.
Water Travel
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs through Skipton. It is a popular spot for tourists. People enjoy walking along the canal and hiring boats.
Education in Skipton
Primary Schools
- Non-religious schools:
- Greatwood Community Primary School
- Water Street Community Primary School
- Catholic school:
- St Stephen's Catholic Primary School
- Church of England schools:
- Christ Church Primary School
- Parish Church Primary School
Secondary Schools
Skipton has The Skipton Academy for students aged 11–16. There are also two single-sex grammar schools. These are Ermysted's Grammar School for boys and Skipton Girls' High School (SGHS). Both schools choose students based on an entrance exam. They both get very good exam results.
Further Education
Craven College is a college next to The Skipton Academy. It offers courses for students after secondary school.
Sports in Skipton
Skipton has many sports clubs. These include:
- Football clubs: Skipton Town A.F.C. and Skipton Juniors F.C.
- Cricket clubs: Skipton Cricket Club, Skipton Church Institute Cricket Club, and Skipton Kashmir.
- 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)
- Skipton Golf Club, which started in 1893.
The Coulthurst Craven Sports Centre is next to the rugby club. It has all-weather football pitches and squash courts. Skipton Tennis Club is also nearby. It has won awards many times. There are several gyms, a public swimming pool, an outdoor skatepark, and a pump track. Skipton also hosts a free weekly Parkrun event in Aireville Park.
On 5 July 2014, the Tour de France cycling race passed through Skipton. This was part of Stage 1 from Leeds to Harrogate.
Famous People from Skipton
Many well-known people were born in Skipton:
- The philosopher Henry Sidgwick was born in 1838.
- Thomas Spencer, who helped start Marks & Spencer shops, was born in 1858.
- The American mathematician Thomas William Edmondson was born in 1869.
- Geoffrey Dawson, a famous editor of The Times newspaper, was born in 1874.
- Two politicians were born in Skipton: Iain Macleod (1913), who was a Conservative MP, and Joan Humble (1951), who was a Labour MP.
- Charles Wilson, who was Winston Churchill's personal doctor during World War II, was born in Skipton in 1882.
- The writer Blake Morrison was born in Skipton in 1950.
- Footballer Rick Holden was born in Skipton in 1964.
- Actress Elaine Glover was born in Skipton in 1983.
- Cricketer Glen Chapple was born in Skipton in 1974.
- Cricketer James Whitaker was born in Skipton in 1962.
- Nick Hitchon (1957–2023), a nuclear fusion scientist, was born in Skipton.
- Rhoda Bloodworth (1889–1980), a New Zealand activist for workers' rights and women's rights, was born in Skipton.
See also
In Spanish: Skipton para niños
