Yorkshire is comprised of the East, North and West Ridings and the ancient City of York. It was established by the Danes in the 9th Century when Yorkshire was divided into the three Ridings (or 'Thirdings'), namely The East Riding, The West Riding and The North Riding. Each 'Riding' was then divided into smaller areas called 'wapentakes'. At that time, a wapentake (meaning 'weapons touch' ) had to be defended by the freemen of the area.

Skidby is situated in the East Riding Of Yorkshire in the wapentake of Harthill (Hunsley Beacon Division). [map]

After the dissolution of the monasteries (1536-1540) land passed into private hands and gradually farmhouses were constructed. It was at this time that many of Yorkshire's drystone walls were built. This was followed by the 'Enclosure Acts' of the 18th century (which encouraged landowners to take over what had previously been common land).

In Skidby's case, open fields formerly lay on all sides of the village and a prominent hedge bank separated the open fields from those of Cottingham. The open fields and commons were enclosed in 1765 and the common meadows and pastures on the low grounds were enclosed in 1788. Allotments were made totalling 239 acres, William Farrow receiving 53 acres and Trinity College 26 acres. Other open fields, wold pasture and the 'sheep walk' were enclosed in 1795. Allotments made totalling 1154 acres including 236 acres from North Field 231 acres from South Field, 200 acres from West Field and 234 from the sheep walk. Receivers included Trinity College (who took the bulk of the sheep walk), the Bishop of Chester and the Ellerker family.

The parish of Skidby lies between Cottingham and Rowley and includes the small nearby hamlets of Eppleworth and Raywell. Formerly, it also included a detached portion of land called Skidby Carr or Skidby Jugs which was approximately 3 miles to the east. It was an area of about 300 acres which lay on the low ground on the west side of the River Hull. This was amalgamated with Cottingham by a local government order dated 5th December 1879. It consisted of a narrow outgang (walk) Carr Lane, lying between Cottingham and Beverley, widening into Hall Ings then to Skidby Carr.

Skidby occupies the rising ground on either side of a prominent dry valley that runs through the main part of the parish. The chalk lies close to the surface on the wolds in the west and on the valley side close to the village, but elsewhere it is covered with boulder clay. Gravel and alluvium cover the floor of the valley. Near the River Hull the ground is less than 8m above sea level and is mostly covered with alluvium but gravel and boulder clay appear again on Hull Ings where there are several barrows or burial mounds.

The poor drainage of the low grounds has been mentioned since the 17th century, when local dykes and sluices were inadequate to deal with it. Flooding was sometimes severe, as in 1782, when the low grounds were described as 'truly deplorable having laid all this year under water." Conditions were improved under the Beverley and Skidby drainage act of 1785 by the cutting of a new drain later called Western Drain. The Beverley and Barmston Drain was cut across the area in about 1800.

Most of the parish is now in arable use.
 

Skidby's Name

The name of the village can be traced back to a charter in the year 972, which mentions the name 'Scyteby'. Also, the Domesday Book of 1086 mentions the name 'Schitebi'. As time passed, this became 'Skitby' and 'Skipbie' and by 1566 AD the name 'Skidby' was used.

It is believed that Skidby was originally founded by the invading Danes who settled on the land somewhere around 892 AD, and it is worth mentioning that the arrangement of the village is typically Danish (i.e. a straight track leading to a main road). The Vikings made many probing raids between 860 and 960 AD, in fact their great army destroyed most of Beverley in 867; ultimately though, they settled to farm the land. Halfdan (the leader of the Danish army), returned to this area in 874 at which time he allotted land to the leaders of his host, in agreement with the caldermen of Beverley.
 

Skidby's Population

Population 1801-1901

• FACTS ABOUT SKIDBY'S POPULATION
  The table shown left gives some indication to  the population of the village through the years 1801 to 1901. Looking at the most recent census results below, indicates that Skidby's population has risen by over 600% in the last 200 years
   

• 1991 CENSUS RESULTS
  Shown below are the results of the 1991 census for the parish:
  Number of households = 449
  Number of residents = 1118
   

• 2001 CENSUS RESULTS
  Shown below are the results of the 2001 census for the parish:
  Number of households = 549
  Number of residents  = 1356 (655 male, 701 female)
  
  22.27% increase in number of households and 21.29% increase in number of residents since 1991. Information provided by P A Wharton (Parish Clerk)

Year

Population

1801

243

1811

287

1831

315

1841

361

1851

361

1871

396

1881 

419

1891

387

1901

356

Skidby's Roads

The village street formerly continued westwards along the valley bottom to Riplingham but now, as a field road, ends at the parish boundary.

Oldgate ran northwards up the valley side. It turned along the parish boundary into Bentley where the inhabitants of Skidby had the use of a road giving access to Carr Lane and their low grounds. Part of Carr Lane was stopped up at enclosure in 1788 but a road of this name still runs to the former Beverley-Hull road which was bypassed in 1990 (Skidby Carr Lane). The road from Beverley to Hull was called Beverley Street in 1612 and crossed to the low lands on a causeway. It was turnpiked in 1744 and the trust continued until 1871.

In 1775 a back lane ran along the South side of the village and another on the North side ran from the church to the Little Weighton road. Both were largely stopped up at enclosure in 1795, though the end of the northern lane near the church is still called Back Lane. The Little Weighton road was called York Road in about 1790.

The Beverley-Hessle road known as the Street Way in the 19th century, was turnpiked in 1769 together with the link road from Cottingham; a toll-bar, known as Pratwoods Gate, was placed just north of their junction. A subscription list from March 1770 shows that Joseph Sykes and T. Maister both gave £100 each towards a £550 total for extending the turnpike road from Skidby Mill to the Ferry at Hessle.

The Eppleworth road from Cottingham as far as the main road was laid out at enclosure in 1793. This road is the present castle road but used to be known as Burnt Old Balk.

Download an [Old Map Of Skidby]
 

The Manor House

In the Domesday Book of 1086, Schitebi (Skidby) was returned as a berewick (or small manor) belonging to the manor of Beverley. The Canons of St John's of Beverley owned a considerable part of the land, of which they retained possession (and cultivated) up until the dissolution of the monasteries (at the time of the Reformation).

In 1552 the manor was granted by the Crown to John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, passing to his son Robert Dudley (later The Earl of Leicester), who exchanged it with the Crown in 1566. Edmund Downing and Roger Rante were granted the Manor in 1592. It then passed to the Crompton family and then to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1619. The college often rented the manor (the Bradshaw family holding it from 1686 to 1740), before selling it in the 1950's

The timber-framed manor house was rebuilt in brick by Sir James Bradshaw, and enlarged soon after by Ellerker Bradshaw. It stood South of Main Street in the 19th century but was replaced by the present Manor Farm, a large red-brick house. A matching lodge remains.
 

Gallows Hill

Gallows Hill - a small knoll marked by a clump of trees, which was 'reputedly' the site where sheep stealers were hanged at the time of Charles II. Today, to get to Gallows Hill follow the footpath that leads to the Mill. The footpath veers to the left of the mill buildings through a 'kissing' gate. For the first 60yds the path is enclosed by a new fence, after which it continues straight along the field boundaries. After about ½ mile you reach the clump of trees at Gallows Hill.

[Photo Gallery]

The Village Green

The village green was originally a pond near the church which became contaminated and was filled in. Another pond in front of the school suffered the same fate and the third known as 'Slut Hole' on the eastern side of the village was filled in recently. Two pumps stood on the land opposite 99/101 Main Street, the western one for horses and the other for general use.

The 'Old Smithy' was situated adjacent to the green but has now gone. The blacksmith's house was nearby at 61 Main Street.
 

Skidby's Army

In 1584, faced with the threat of a Spanish invasion (which came with the Armada in 1588) a master roll was taken in Skidby. The number of able men was 36 consisting of 4 pikemen, 5 billmen, 2 calevers and 2 archers plus 23 labourers. These included Launcelot Herleshon, George Attmar, Nicholas Jeffreyson, William Jackson, John Smythe and Richard Jefferson who each had a bow and half a sheaf of arrows.

Thomas Avice and William Attmar only had a bow whilst Uxor Thriske had a calever (a calever was a light musket)
 

Daniel Sykes (1766 - 1832)

Daniel Sykes (born 1766), at the age of 6, attended Pocklington School where he met and became a lifelong friend of William Wilberforce (Wilberforce often wrote to Sykes about slavery). In October 1784 Sykes went to Trinity College, Cambridge to continue his studies

His father Joseph Sykes, died in 1805 leaving Daniel a fortune. He moved to Raywell House and immediately enlarged the house and grew new plantations around the house. Entering parliament he represented Beverley and Hull as a whig until 1831. He became mayor of Hull, campaigned for the creation of infant schools and succeeded in establishing one in Hull. He died on the 24th January, 1832.
 

Schools

The first known schoolmaster was James Neville in 1795. A native of Colchester, he died in 1808 and is buried close to the east side of the Church porch.

In 1805 John Marshall, from Sculcoates parish bequeathed £150 for 'the learning and instruction of as many children of the poorest inhabitants of Skidby until they reach the age of 10.'

In 1815 the inhabitants built a school and master's house at a cost of £100 raised in subscriptions by the Rev. Charles Overton, on a site given by Trinity College. This unknown site was 18 yards wide, 24 yards long at the west, 19 yards long at the east and was 'south of Little Weighton Road and north of a footpath'. In 1822 Mary Coltish left £200 for the education of Skidby children. The original school, later described as a cottage, was replaced in 1849 and pulled down in 1865, the bricks from it being used in the erection of a wall around the churchyard. The new building, with teacher's residence (or Master's house) attached, was built in 1849 on a site near the church formerly occupied by poorhouses. It was enlarged in 1858 and 1877. It closed as a school in 1964 and is now used as a church hall. The new school was opened in 1964.

In 1923 the Marshall & Coltish charities combined and were 'directed to be administered together for general education purposes".
 

Public Houses

The Half Moon Inn was probably built in the 17th century, and mentioned as an Inn about 1830. Its original beams remain unaltered. In 1810 Matthew Harland owned a public house in what is now Church Rise, the tenant then being Robert Collinson. A Mr Thorley had a beer house at Skidby Carr in 1840. The Navigation Inn, used by the navvies constructing the railway, was probably a hut on the Bottom Road.
 

Industry

Most of the work was agricultural with only only a small amount of non-agricultural. Ropes and sheep nets were made in the 19th century, on a site now occupied by Orchard Road. This name was chosen instead of the suggested 'Rope Walk', which had been intended to commemorate Harry 'Bandy' Smith's ropery. (rope was referred to as 'band' hence the nickname). It stood opposite the present school entrance. In 1724 number 84 Main Street was the original joiners shop with a  cottage adjoining. The cottage had later extensions and it was occupied by a Mr Ridsdale, a wheelwright. Marling, using material from the claypit was another industry. Chalk, clay and gravel have all been quarried in the parish. There was mention of a  weaver George Train, in 1793.

Large quantities of strawberries and raspberries are grown here for the supply of Hull market.
 

The Railway

On the 16th August, 1880, the Bill for building the Hull & Barnsley Railway received the royal assent. Anticipating this assent, great celebrations had been held a week earlier in the newly opened Pearson Park in Hull. Skidby school children had a grand holiday and attended. The line opened in 1885 but closed for passengers in 1932 and goods in 1964. A bridge remains on the old Riplingham Road. A fine five arched brick built bridge crossing Eppleworth Road was demolished by explosives in 1977

The village is situated about four miles south from Beverley, two-and-a-half miles east from Little Weighton station, on the Hull, Barnsley, and West Riding Junction railway, and about the same distance from Cottingham station, on the Hull and Beverley branch of the North-Eastern railway.
 

Skidby Mill

There has been a mill in Skidby since 1388 and in the early seventeenth century there were in fact two mills, but these were pulled down after a dispute. Later a mill stood at 'Hindecrafts' to the west of the village, but a post mill, smaller than the modern mill, was on the present mill site in 1764. It was removed in 1821 and replaced by the present structure, built by Robert Garton a Beverley millwright. The Thompson Family acquired the mill an 1854, and it was worked by wind for exactly 100 years until electrically driven plant was installed in 1954. Commercial operations ceased in 1966. The Thompson family owned Mills in Dansom Lane and Grosvenor Street, Hull and, surprisingly, a water mill (which still exists) in Welton Dale.

Skidby Mill is blacktarred with four white sails each weighing 1.25 tonnes. It has an elegant white-painted Lincolnshire cap topped by a ball finial. its fantail provides a graceful foil to the great sails, providing a superb hilltop landmark. A museum occupies one of the outbuildings. Joe White worked at the Mill from 1927 until 1976. He relates that the mill had six shire horses to draw three single horse and one double nulleys. (A nulley was a four wheeled cart). 1929 brought the first lorry and the removal of two horses. During the 2nd world war the mill owners organised a firewatch from the mill tower from 6pm to 7am with a direct link to Cottingham Police Station. The nearest the mill came to being bombed was when a stick of small bombs fell into the fields behind Mount Pleasant Farm opposite
 

St Michael's Church

In 1227 land for a building was given by Walter De Gray, 17th Archbishop of York, from 1215-1255. The earliest recorded evidence of the building and its contents was in 1552. It is built of ashlar, rubble and brick and has a chancel and nave with South porch and west tower. The plain ashlar base on the tower may be of the 12th or 13th centuries but has no datable features. The chancel was rebuilt in the early 14th century and there is a window of similar date in the south wall of the nave.

The nave and bell tower were consumed by fire in 1424 and the brick tower was erected in 1827 on its original base. Inside the church there are two piscinae (which is unusual) together with a low side window through which one can easily see into the chancel from the churchyard.

For much of its life the church in Skidby was under the control of the vicars and sectors of Cottingham. The parish of Skidby was created a seperate entity in 1857, the first vicar of the new parish being the Reverend H. W. Sanders MA. Much work and fund raising had been done by the Reverend Charles Overton, vicar of Cottingham 1841-1849 to create the new parish. The porch bears the date 1777 (now eroded as are church wardens names, J. Fisher / J. Harker).
 

Non-Conformity

A Baptist chapel was built in 1819 but was closed in 1877 and in ruins by 1892. In 1865 eight heads of families were said to be Baptists.

A Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built in 1820 but was used as a reading room and village hall from 1902 when the new red-brick chapel was built to the west of the old one. In 1865, 15 heads of families were returned as Wesleyan.