Skipton
Skipton Town Centre
Skipton shown within North Yorkshire
Population	14,313[1]
OS grid reference	SD993516
- London	223 miles (359 km)
Parish	Skipton
District	Craven
Shire county	North Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SKIPTON
Postcode district	BD23
Dialling code	01756
Police	North Yorkshire
Fire	North Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
European Parliament	Yorkshire and the Humber
UK Parliament	Skipton and Ripon
Website: http://www.skiptontowncouncil.gov.uk/
List of places: UK • England • Yorkshire

Coordinates: 53°57′40″N 2°00′43″W / 53.96099, -2.01205

Skipton (also known as Skipton-in-Craven) is a historic market town and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county in In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. A civil parish in the United Kingdom is a unit of local government. The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Craven is an area in North Yorkshire, England. The name Craven is Celtic ( Cumbric) in origin and is related to the Welsh word Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county in The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one Yorkshire and the Humber is one of the nine government office Regions of England. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. North Yorkshire Police is the Home Office police force covering the Non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire and the Unitary authority The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory fire and rescue service covering the seven districts of administrative county of North The Yorkshire Ambulance Service is the NHS Ambulance service covering most of Yorkshire in England. Yorkshire and the Humber is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Skipton and Ripon is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of cities, Towns and Villages in the historic English county of Yorkshire. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets A civil parish in the United Kingdom is a unit of local government. Craven is an area in North Yorkshire, England. The name Craven is Celtic ( Cumbric) in origin and is related to the Welsh word North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county in England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The local travel links are located less than a mile from the town centre to Skipton railway station and 16 miles to Leeds Bradford International Airport. Skipton railway station serves the town of Skipton in North Yorkshire, England on the Airedale Line. Leeds Bradford International Airport is located in the City of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Also, the main road through the town is the A6069, connecting Skipton to the A59, A6131 and the A65. The A59 is a major road in the United Kingdom that runs from Liverpool in Merseyside, to York in North Yorkshire. The A65 is a major Road in England. It runs north west from Leeds in Yorkshire via Kirkstall, Horsforth, Yeadon The town has a population of 14,313 according to the 2001 Census. A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001

The historic Yorkshire town of Skipton is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors with its museum, castle, golf course and the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway in the immediate area. The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. A museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development open to the public which acquires conserves researches communicates and exhibits the A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. A golf course consists of a series of holes each consisting of a Teeing ground, Fairway, rough and other hazards and a green with a pin and cup all designed for The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway (E&BASR is a Heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England. Also nearby there is Barden Tower, the Yorkshire Dales Lead Mining Museum and the Pennine Way. The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England. The trail runs 429 kilometres (268 mi from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Also, Skipton lies along the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The River Aire is a major River in Yorkshire, England of length 114km (71m The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a Canal in the north of England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool.

Skipton is the administrative headquarters of Craven district and is its centre for tourism, commerce, business and industry. Craven is an area in North Yorkshire, England. The name Craven is Celtic ( Cumbric) in origin and is related to the Welsh word Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Commerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer A business (also called firm or an enterprise) is a legally recognized organizational entity designed to provide goods and/or services to For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Also, the high street market is held on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday. Sao Paulo Stock Exchangejpg|thumb| Virtual market arena where buyer and seller are not present and trade via intemediates and electronical information

The town's major local employer is Skipton Building Society and its subsidiary companies. The Skipton Building Society is the sixth largest mutual lending and savings organisation (known as a Building society) in the United Kingdom.

History

Main article: History of Skipton

The town of Skipton is known to have been in existence since 1085 as it is listed in the Domesday Book. The small town of Skipton in North Yorkshire (in the United Kingdom) has been around as far back as 1085, listed in the Domesday Book, and has The Domesday Book (ˈduːmzdeɪ bʊk also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester) was the record of the great survey It played roles in history during the English Civil War and as the site of a prisoner of war camp during World War I. The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

Governance

Skipton lies within the Parliamentary Constituency of Skipton and Ripon, which was created in 1983. Skipton and Ripon is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The constituency has returned a Conservative MP since its inception. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The seat is currently held by David Curry MP

Skipton forms part of Craven district, a Non-metropolitan district, and is home of the offices of Craven District Council. David Maurice Curry (born 13 June 1944 is a British politician Craven is an area in North Yorkshire, England. The name Craven is Celtic ( Cumbric) in origin and is related to the Welsh word Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially ' shire districts', are a type of local government district in England. In March 2007 there were proposals to make North Yorkshire County Council a Unitary Authority, removing the layer of government represented by Craven District. ^[2] However, these plans were rejected by the Government in July 2007 on the grounds that it would cover too large an area. ^[3]

Skipton also has its own town council. A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or Parishes A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch

Economy

Skipton is home to the Skipton Building Society. The Skipton Building Society is the sixth largest mutual lending and savings organisation (known as a Building society) in the United Kingdom. Skipton is served by Airedale NHS Trust.

The local paper is the Craven Herald.

The railway station is next door to a Tesco and a Morrisons. Skipton railway station serves the town of Skipton in North Yorkshire, England on the Airedale Line. Tesco plc is a British -based international grocery and general merchandising retail chain Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC ( is the fourth largest chain of Supermarkets in the United Kingdom.

There is a bus station, with taxi ranks, in the town centre.

There are two theatres serving the town and wider community. The first, Skipton Little Theatre theatre is located not too far from both the railway station and the town centre. The second, The Mart Theatre [1], is an unusual and unique venue. The Mart Theatre opened in October 2005 with funding from European Regional Development Fund, Yorkshire Forward, Craven District Council and from Arts Council England, Yorkshire and is aimed to provide a unique rural theatre, events and other facilities within a functioning Auction Mart. The theatre delivers a developing artistic programme designed to address local cultural and economic needs. A new non-traditional theatre space it is the only theatre placed in a working auction mart in the UK. The Mart Theatre is on the outskirts of Skipton town centre. It is located at Skipton Auction Mart just off the A59/A65 roundabout (the one with the Little Chef). Follow the signs for the Auction Mart found on all the major roads leading to Skipton.

There is a Little Chef, Burger King and Travelodge at the roundabout where the A59, A65 and A629 meet, and a McDonalds to the south of the centre. Little Chef is a chain of 180 roadside restaurants in the United Kingdom, founded in 1958 and owned by the UK private equity group RCapital typically Burger King ( often abbreviated to Travelodge refers to several hotel chains around the world Current operations include United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland and

Skipton has many pubs, the largest being the Black Horse (a former coaching inn) and The Devonshire, now owned by J. D. Wetherspoon. J D Wetherspoon plc (commonly referred to as Wetherspoons or Spoons) is a British Pub chain, founded by Tim Martin in 1979 There are two nightclubs, Strata, in the town centre (opposite the bus station) and Rooder, at the Rendezvous Hotel [2] to the south of town. Restaurants range from traditional fish and chips to high quality French cuisine, taking in modern British, Mexican, Thai, Indian, Chinese and Italian. Fish and chips (sometimes written " fish ’n’ chips " is a popular Take-away food originating from the United Kingdom. French cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of France. British cuisine is the specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom. Mexican food is a style of food that originated in Mexico. Mexican cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavors colorful decoration and variety of spices Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in Italian cuisine as a national Cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political changes with its roots traced back to 4th century BC

Fresh Radio, the local radio station for the Yorkshire Dales, broadcasts programmes from studios based in Skipton. Fresh Radio is a local radio station broadcasting to the Yorkshire Dales in northern England on two medium wave (AM frequencies and currently three FM frequencies The Yorkshire Dales (also known as The Dales) is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.

Transport

Skipton railway station gives access southbound to regular services for Leeds and Bradford on the electrified Airedale Line; northbound services connect to Morecambe and Carlisle; the latter route is along the Settle-Carlisle Railway, and crosses the Ribblehead Viaduct. Skipton railway station serves the town of Skipton in North Yorkshire, England on the Airedale Line. Leeds ( is located on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, England Bradford ( lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a Metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. The Airedale Line is the name given to one of the rail services in the West Yorkshire Metro area of northern England Morecambe is a resort town within the City of Lancaster district of Lancashire, England. Carlisle (pronounced CARLYLE(emphasis on the first syllable is a City in northern England the largest settlement in Cumbria. History The S&C had its origins in railway politics the expansion-minded Midland Railway company was locked in dispute with the rival London and North Western Railway Nearby towns and villages include Bolton Abbey, Bradley, Kildwick, Stirton, Carleton, Gargrave, Embsay, Cononley, Lothersdale and Farnhill. Bolton Abbey is the estate within which is located the ruined 12th-century Augustinian Bolton Priory in North Yorkshire, England. Bradley is a village in North Yorkshire, England, situated between Skipton and Keighley. Kildwick is a village and Civil parish of the District of Craven in North Yorkshire, England. Carleton-in-Craven is a small village and Civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England, situated less than three miles from Gargrave is a small village located along the A65, four miles (6 km northwest from Skipton in North Yorkshire, England. Embsay is a Village in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England and is situated about 2 miles north-east of Skipton and has Cononley is a village in the Aire Valley of North Yorkshire, England, 3 miles south of Skipton and with an estimated population of 1080 (2001 Lothersdale is a small village near Skipton, North Yorkshire, England which is located within the triangle formed by Skipton, Cross Hills Farnhill is a village and Civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. The north section (A65 & A59) of the £16. The A65 is a major Road in England. It runs north west from Leeds in Yorkshire via Kirkstall, Horsforth, Yeadon The A59 is a major road in the United Kingdom that runs from Liverpool in Merseyside, to York in North Yorkshire. 4m Skipton Bypass opened in December 1981. The rest of the six-mile bypass (A629) opened in October 1982, greatly reducing journey times to the Dales. List of A roads beginning with 6 in Great Britain starting east of the A6 and A7 roads and west of the A1. The Yorkshire Dales (also known as The Dales) is the name given to an upland area in Northern England. Skipton Bus Station is a hub for local bus services, and is due to be redeveloped in the near future. Burnley, Colne, Barnoldswick and Earby are served hourly by the 215 Pennine bus service. Burnley is a large Market town in the borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73500 Colne is the second largest town in the borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of around 20000 Barnoldswick (colloquially known as Barlick) is a town and Civil parish within the West Craven area of the Pendle district of Lancashire Earby is a small town within the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. Hourly services are also operated to Settle, Grassington and Keighley. Settle is a small Market town within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. Grassington is a picturesque Village in Wharfedale, North Yorkshire, England. Keighley ( IPA /ˈkiːθli/ "Keeth-ly" is a town and Civil parish within the Metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in Less frequent services operate to Malham, Clitheroe, Preston and Harrogate. Malham is a Village in Craven, North Yorkshire, England, in the Yorkshire Dales with a population of 120 Clitheroe is a town and Civil parish in the borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. Harrogate (or Harrogate Spa) is a large wealthy Spa town in North Yorkshire, England.

Twin Town

Skipton is twinned with the Bavarian town of Simbach. Simbach am Inn is a town on the Inn in the Rottal-Inn district of Bavaria, Germany.

The first visit, in 1981, was to Skipton by councillors from Simbach including Herr Josef Strasser. They were welcomed by the Council and Mayor Judith Hollings. On 28 March 1982 the first group of school pupils arrived from Simbach. Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The group was from the Realschule and was led by Frl Andrea Weber-Hohengrund and Herrn Toni Ott. In Skipton the party were hosted by pupils from Aireville School.

In July 1982 the first group of Skipton pupils, from Aireville School made the return journey to Simbach. The group was led by Aireville's Deputy Headmaster, John Tomlinson, and teachers Muriel Hunter and John Phillip. On September 11, 1982 a charter was signed in Skipton Town Hall by Herr Strasser, acting for the Burgermeister Hans Murauer, and Skipton's Mayor Bernard O'Neil. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The following year Skipton's new mayor, Brian Phillip, led a delegation to Simbach to sign the charter in the Rathaus.

Now every year schools (including Skipton Girls' High School, Ermysted's Grammar School and the Gymnasium in Simbach) from the two towns embark on a student exchange programme, as do local elected officials.

In December 2007 Brian Phillip was awarded a special medal by the retiring Burgermeister, Richard Findl, for his support of twinning between the two towns over the last twenty years.

Education

Primary education

There is a wide variety of choice for pupils at ages 5-11:

• Roman Catholic:
  • St Stephen's Catholic Primary School
• Church of England:
  • Christ Church
  • Parish Church (informally known as Brougham Street) Primary School
• Non-denominational:
  • Ings Community Primary School
  • Greatwood Community Primary School
  • Water Street Community Primary School

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). The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican In Christianity, the term non-denominational refers to those churches that have not formally aligned themselves with an established denomination, or remain otherwise A grammar school is one of several different types of School in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries Ermysted's Grammar School is a LEA -funded selective boys' Grammar School in Skipton, North Yorkshire teaching over 700 pupils Skipton Girls' High School, founded in 1886 is an all girls selective grammar school situated in Skipton, North Yorkshire, England Both schools are selective (by entrance exam) and obtain comparable high A-Level scores. The A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education qualification in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, On the basis of the 2007 A Level results Ermysted's and SGHS were rated first and third respectively in North Yorkshire,^[4] Ermysted's ranking 49th nationally. ^[5]

Further education

• Craven College

Sports

Skipton is the home to Skipton Town A.F.C., Skipton Bulldogs, and Skipton LMS, all football teams; Skipton CC and Skipton CI, both cricket teams; and Skipton R.F.C., a Rugby Union club. Craven College is a Further education college based in Skipton, North Yorkshire. The Craven and District League (currently sponsored by Devonshire Carpets is a football competition based in England. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short The Coulthurst Craven Sports Centre, adjacent to the rugby club, has many facilities including all-weather football pitches and squash courts. There are several other gyms in the town as well as a public swimming pool.

References

See also

• Skipton Castle
• History of Skipton
• Craven

External links

• Skipton Mini Guide
• Skipton Community Website
• SkiptonWeb
• Skipton Castle
• Skipton Castle
• Skipton Building Society
• Fresh Radio
• Golf Club
• Local news
• Skipton History
• Skipton History
• Skipton Little Theatre
• Skipton Night Out Reviews
• Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Skipton
• dotSkipton - a local information website