The picturesque market town of Skipton in North Yorkshire regularly features in newspaper polls as one of the best places to live in the UK. With its ancient castle, scenic towpath beside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and beautiful surrounding countryside, it has also become a popular destination for tourists visiting the Yorkshire Dales. Skipton has not always been such an enviable place to live. In medieval times its castle was frequently subject to violent attack and, during the English Civil War, was besieged for three years as it held out as the last Royalist stronghold in the North. Another key moment in Skipton’s history came at the turn of the nineteenth century with the construction of the canal and the arrival of the cotton mills. This brought prosperity to the town, but working conditions were harsh.The historic buildings that line Skipton’s streets point to its interesting past, but how much of the detail has been lost with the passage of time? In Secret Skipton, author Margaret Brecknell aims to rediscover some of the lost stories of Skipton’s past, focusing on the events and people that shaped the town’s history across the ages. Among the subjects covered are the castle and its residents, special occasions, education and religion, working life, wartime, leisure and notable buildings.
