{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Use British English|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox UK place | country = England | official_name = Skippool | gaelic_name = | os_grid_reference = | coordinates = {{coord|53.8595|-2.9809|display=inline,title}} | population = | shire_district = [[Borough of Wyre|Wyre]] | shire_county = [[Lancashire]] | region = North West England | post_town = Thornton-Cleveleys | postcode_district = FY5 | postcode_area = FY | dial_code = 01253 | constituency_westminster = [[Blackpool North and Fleetwood]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Location of Blackpool North and Fleetwood|url= https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/3919/location |website=parliament.uk |date=July 2024 |access-date=2 May 2026}}</ref> | constituency_westminster2 = [[Fylde (constituency)|Fylde]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Location of Fylde|url= https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/4057/location |website=parliament.uk |date=July 2024 |access-date=2 May 2026}}</ref> | static_image = Skippool Creek 2024.jpg | static_image_width = | static_image_caption = Skippool Creek, looking south | pushpin_map = United Kingdom Borough of Wyre#United Kingdom The Fylde | pushpin_map_caption = Location within Wyre Borough##Location on the Fylde }}

'''Skippool''' is an area of [[Thornton-Cleveleys]], [[Lancashire]], England. It is situated between Little [[Thornton, Lancashire|Thornton]] and [[Poulton-le-Fylde]] along the western banks of the [[River Wyre]], about {{Convert|3|mi}} south of its mouth between [[Fleetwood]] and [[Knott End-on-Sea|Knott End]]. These banks are known as Skippool Creek, an historic docks area now home to mostly run-down vessels. The MV ''Good Hope'', for example, may date from the 1830s.<ref name=lancashirelife1/> Skippool Creek is a short branch off [[Main Dyke]], which empties into the River Wyre in front of Blackpool and Fleetwood Yacht Club.

The B5412 (Skippool Road) passes through Skippool, ending at the roundabout it shares with Mains Lane, Breck Road and [[Amounderness Way]].

''Skippool'' is believed to be a joining of the [[Old Norse]] word ''skip'', which means ''ship'', and the [[Old English]] ''pull/pol'', for a slow-moving stream.<ref name=wa>[http://www.wyrearchaeology.org.uk/index.php/2-uncategorised/50-skippool Skippool] - Wyre Archaeology Group</ref> It has been written on historical maps as ''Skippon'', ''Skiffe-Pool'' and ''Skip Pool''.<ref name=moore>[https://www.visitlytham.info/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/History-of-Blackpool-Nick-Moore.pdf ''A History of Blackpool, the Fylde and South Wyre''] – Nick Moore (2018), p. 46</ref>

==History== Skippool, more specifically its creek, was a major trading port for hundreds of years, similar to that of [[Wardleys Creek]] on the [[Over Wyre|other side of the river]].<ref name=vchistory>[https://www.visitcleveleys.co.uk/recreation-entertainment/explore/skippool/ "History of Skippool"] - VisitCleveleys.co.uk</ref> It is understood to have been in constant use from the end of the [[Middle Ages]]. Goods arrived at the docks from all over the world. [[Flax]] was brought in from Ireland and the Baltic; timber came from North America; and [[tallow]] arrived from Russia.<ref name=vchistory/> More locally, limestone and oats were transported from [[Ulverston]] and coal from [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]].<ref name=vchistory/> Its popularity fell out of favour when Fleetwood's port opened in the 1840s.<ref>[https://johnellisbfc.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/historyoflancs-blog-3-the-river-wyre-ports-skippooll-creek-and-wardleys-poulton-blackpool-and-the-fylde-coast/ "THE RIVER WYRE PORTS,SKIPPOOL CREEK AND WARDLEY'S – POULTON, BLACKPOOL AND THE FYLDE COAST"] - JohnEllisBFC.wordpress.com</ref>

A 1610 map gives the name of the river as ''Skippon Flue''.<ref name=wa/> In 1787, another map gives the area the modern spelling of ''Skippool''.

A pub has stood on or near the site of today's Thornton Lodge since around 1750, when the Ousel Inn was established. In 1824, The Crackers Head was built. It became The White Horse a decade later.<ref name=vchistory/>

A [[bone mill]], called Silcocks, also stood near the docks. Silcocks Cottages, a home on Skippool Road about half a mile to the north, preserves this name.

==Sport== Thornton Cleveleys Cricket Club is located in Skippool, on land leased to it by Frederick J. Emery, one of the owners of the now-demolished Edwardian mansion [[The Illawalla]], in the early 1950s.<ref>[https://www.thorntoncleveleyscc.co.uk/index.php/club/history History] - Thornton Cleveleys Cricket Club's official website</ref>

==Businesses== Blackpool & Fleetwood Yacht Club is located just beyond the northern end of Wyre Road, which runs along the head of the docks.

Thornton Lodge, a chain pub and restaurant, is located near to the roundabout, just north of the Wyre Road junction.

==Notable residents== In addition to the Illawalla, there are three other notable residences on Skippool Road. [[Ashley Hall (mansion)|Ashley Hall]] (or Ashley House),<ref>''Gardeners' Chronicle, Horticultural Trade Journal'', Volume 158 (1965). p. 96</ref> built in the 1920s,<ref>[https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/ashley-house Ashley House] – Parks and Gardens</ref> was where select celebrities would stay while they were appearing on [[Blackpool]]'s [[North Pier, Blackpool|North Pier]]. These include [[Danny La Rue]] and [[Roy Castle]].

On the opposite side of the road is Thornton Hall.

On Wyre Road, [[The River House]] was built in the late 1830s. It was once a restaurant<ref>''Egon Ronay's Lucas Guide ... to Hotels, Restaurants, Inns in Great Britain and Ireland'' (1980), p. 576</ref> frequented by the likes of [[Rudolf Nureyev]], [[George Harrison]] and prominent politicians.<ref name=lancashirelife1>[https://www.lancashirelife.co.uk/out-about/glynn-ward-takes-us-on-a-photographic-journey-around-skippool-creek-1-1924337 "Glynn Ward takes us on a photographic journey around Skippool Creek"] - ''[[Lancashire Life]]'', 8 February 2013</ref> It was run by members of the Scott family.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/lawrence_chard/6384753197 "The River House Hotel & Restaurant at Skippool Creek"] - Lawrence Chard at Flickr.com</ref><ref>[https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/raise-your-quality-to-survive-hoteliers-told-1-408032 "Raise your quality to survive, hoteliers told"] - ''[[Blackpool Gazette]]'', 1 October 2002</ref>

==Transport== [[Archway Travel]] routes 74 and 75 buses service Skippool Road.

==References in popular culture== In nearby Thornton-Cleveleys, Skippool Creek Brewery was founded in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-04 |title=Skippool Creek Brewery |url=http://www.skippoolcreek.co.uk/ |access-date=2024-08-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904220736/http://www.skippoolcreek.co.uk/ |archive-date=4 September 2018 }}</ref>

==Gallery== <gallery> File:Skippool_Creek.jpeg|The [[River Wyre]] from Skippool Creek, looking east to [[Shard Bridge]] (right of centre) File:Skippool_Creek_2017.jpeg|Docks at Skippool Creek in 2017 </gallery>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.bfyc.org.uk Blackpool & Fleetwood Yacht Club's official website] *[https://www.visitcleveleys.co.uk/recreation-entertainment/explore/skippool/ Skippool's page at VisitCleveleys.co.uk] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20210621003746/http://thorntonactiongroup.co.uk/htmlpages/tag_gal1.html A gallery of Skippool] - Thornton Action Group *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnCx6BSPJhA "Good Hope at Skippool Creek”] - YouTube, 10 May 2012 *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qti0a1lln90 "The Forgotten Port at Skippool Creek | Stannah Tramper Trail"] - YouTube, 27 October 2017

[[Category:Geography of the Borough of Wyre]] [[Category:The Fylde]]