in the village show signs of having been used as weavers cottages in the past. As late as 1890, there were 200 hand looms in cottages in Skelmanthorpe. Skelmanthorpe Textile Heritage Centre Number 6, Queen Street was preserved by Leslie Robinson a local historian as the Skelmanthorpe Textile Heritage Centre, complete with hand loom and all the associated equipment. Leslie became frail and in 2011 three local people; Richard Brooke, Tony Weatherby and David Collins created a group called the Friends of Skelmanthorpe Textile Heritage Centre to assist with the running of the centre. Following Leslie Robinson's deaths in 2015 The Friends successfully applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund to purchase the centre from Leslie's estate. The centre is now owned by a charitable trust. The centre opens on the second Sunday of the months between March and December to give free guided tours and loom demonstrations. It also opens for four days in September during the English Heritage Open Days. Survey of English Dialects Skelmanthorpe was a site in the Survey of English Dialects. The recording taken was notable both because of the rich form of dialect used and because it discussed a local sighting of a ghost. This stood out in the survey, in which most recordings were of villagers discussing local industries. Buildings and services Schools Two schools are in Skelmanthorpe: St Aidan's Church of England Academy Skelmanthorpe Academy Both of these are First schools, serving children up to Year 5 (rather than Year 6 like most primary schools). After the first school, children move on to Middle School (usually Scissett Middle School) for 3 years before moving on to Shelley College. Churches Skelmanthorpe has five churches: Church of St Aidan – (Church of England – Anglican) Skelmanthorpe Methodist Church Trinity Evangelical Church Skelmanthorpe Wesleyan Reform Church (now closed and demolished) Saville Road Hall (Christian – non-denominational) Fire station The fire station was constructed in 1956. It currently houses one pump and one area support unit along with 21 personnel and is designated as a retained fire station. Sports teams and facilities The village has had its own cricket team since around 1876; the current cricket pitch dates from 1900. The village also has its own junior and senior football teams that play in the Huddersfield leagues respectively. There are two crown green bowls clubs within the village. One club is based at the Windmill Pub on