Just to the west of the village, in Skipsea Brough, lies Skipsea Castle. Built in 1086, the motte-and-bailey style castle has since been destroyed; however impressive earthworks remain. The coast near Skipsea, just over 0.6 miles (1 km) to the east, is the fastest eroding coastline in northern Europe.[5]
History
Motte of Skipsea Castle
The first recorded appearance of the name Skipsea is in the 12th century and the name is of Scandinavian origin, but the actual town-site has been in use much longer.[6]
This is of no real surprise, as this part of the English coast was frequented by Viking invaders before the Norman Conquest. There is some evidence that the name Skipsea refers to its original Viking meaning of "Ship Lake", but the closest literal meaning of Skipsea is "a lake navigable by ships".[6] This name refers to the village's original location on the edge of a lake, which was suitable for navigation and eel-fishing,[7] that was slightly inland from the sea. This land has since been lost because of erosion, making Skipsea a seaside Village.[6] There is evidence of habitation dating back to the Stone and Bronze Ages because of the 19th century archaeological discovery of platforms, presumably for huts.[6]
The borough of Skipsea Castle was first recorded between 1160 and 1175 and may have been founded by William le Gros, Count of Aumale, who died in 1179.[7]
By the end of the 11th century, both Skipsea Castle and a church had been built, which encouraged the growth of a small town.[6] In the following 13th and 14th centuries, local markets and fairs were granted "variously for Skipsea town, Skipsea manor, and Skipsea Brough manor, presumably all the same and possibly by then meaning Skipsea village".[6]
The village is also famous for being a possible site for nuclear testing in the 1950s, yet the scientists at Aldermaston relented after strong opposition by the local community.[9][10][11]
The Royal Observer Corps used Skipsea as a site for a Cold War observation post. The site was active from October 1959 until its decommissioning in September 1991. The site lay derelict until it was restored by an enthusiast in October 2008.
Currently, the economy of Skipsea is based on agriculture and tourism.[7]
^"Dickering-Wap through time". A Vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
^"Bridlington RD". A Vision of Britain Through Time. University of Portsmouth. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
