Road, also leading westward, currently (2006) a farm track and footpath. History The village's name is thought mean dwelling (-bý) of a person called Skítr, ("Skyti's farm") the words are of Scandinavian origin. An alternative origin meaning 'firewood place' (from skið and by), an origin from the person's name skiði has also been suggested. Other alternatives are 'dirty place', from the old English scite. The village name 'Skidby' is first recorded by Oswald, Archbishop of York in the 10th century, as Scyteby: the bishop Oscytel was recorded as having acquired it for £20. In the Doomsday Book it is referred to as Schitebi – at the time of the survey it was recorded together with 'Burtone' (near Bishop Burton): the land belonged to the manor of Beverley (in the hands of the church), with over 20 villains and 3 knights. The forms Skipbie, and Skitby were in use in the 16th century, in the 19th century 'Skitby' was a common form, as was the current form Skidby. The church of St Michael dates to 1777, with a tower built in 1827. The church was designated a Grade II* listed building in 1968. Weslyan and Baptist chapels were built in the early 1800s, and a school and teacher's house built in 1849. A cornmill, Skidby Mill was constructed in 1821, raised in the 1870s and listed in 1952. By the 1850s the village population had reached 306; in 1857 the ecclesiastical parish of Skidby became fully separated from Cottingham and received a resident clergyman. Around 1885 the Hull and Barnsley Railway was constructed (section closed 1960s), running north-east through the parish: no stations were constructed on the section near Skidby; at the point the railway crossed the Eppleworth valley a five arched brick viaduct was constructed, known locally as 'five arches', or as 'Eppleworth viaduct'. North-west of the viaduct the line required an cutting, known as the Little Weighton Cutting. In 1972, of land north of the Eppleworth to Raywell road was acquired for the Hessle Golf Club, which was relocating due to the construction of the Humber Bridge; the eighteen-hole course was opened in 1975. A traveller's site was established on Westfield Road in a disused chalk pit in the 1980s. Notes References Sources Map locations External links skidby.net Homepage Beverley 20 description from Walkingenglishman Villages in the East Riding of Yorkshire Civil parishes in the East Riding of Yorkshire