Skipton by Ella Hatfield

This page last updated 5 Aug 2005

Skipton by Ella Hatfield

This is a new, updated edition of the Skipton history which was first published in 1991 by Smith Settle. Most of the book is a chronological history of the town, with chapters on local schools and churches, the development of industry and the growth of Skipton into what we see today. For a town so rich in history, there is plenty to interest residents and visitors alike.

This edition has many new photographs, including one of the painting bought at auction in June 2005 for the Craven Museum. This watercolour, by Anthony Devis, was painted around 1790 and has never been published before as far as is known. Also featured is the Auction Mart with its new seating, to give greater comfort to theatre-goers, and a panoramic view over most of Skipton, showing its setting among the hills. There is a wealth of old photos of various aspects of the town, so that today’s buildings can be compared with how they used to look. The development of the Castle and the Leeds-Liverpool canal is also traced, along with glimpses into how Skipton people used to spend their time in the past.

The book costs £10 and is on sale at :

• Skipton Castle
• Craven Museum
• Just Books
• Alley Books
• Dalesway News
• Skipton Tourist Information Centre
• Bolton Abbey shop
• Grassington Bookshop
• Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.