Overview
Cottingham may be one of England’s largest villages but manages to merge the benefits of a small town with its two bustling, intersecting streets Hallgate and King Street. The tiny adjoining village of Skidby, connected to Cottingham through Harland Way, presents a real sense of community spirit. It has a delightful Windmill with majestic views over the Yorkshire land, a local primary school, the Skidby Millhouse restaurant, and the quaint Half Moon Inn.
There are brand new affordable family homes in Cottingham, with nearby Cottingham station making commuting to Beverley and Hull effortless. Great opportunities await the youth with its high standard of local state and independent schools. There are plenty of nearby golf clubs with scenic views of the stunning surrounding countryside. Both Cottingham and Skidby bring a sense of modernity with their proximity to the city while keeping a tenacious grip on their tradition.
History of Cottingham and Skidby
Skidby was most likely founded by invading Danes around 892 AD, and the name changed from Scyteby, to Skitby, finally being recorded as Skidby in 1566. Skidby’s most significant landmark, its Windmill, was first referenced in 1316 and was a simple Post Mill, an early European type of Windmill with the body of the mill housing the machinery in a single vertical post. The Lord of the Manor would have provided material for the mill’s construction and its maintenance.
Cottingham village was founded by Anglo-Saxons, who named it ‘Cottingaham,’ which means ‘the homestead of Cotta’s people,’ with Cotta referencing an Anglo-Saxon chief, and ‘ham’ meaning settlement. The introduction of the railway to Cottingham brought the village closer to Hull, and for commuters, Hallgate and King Street had extra housing and shops built. The Northgate area built a fine complex of student halls in the 1960s due to the nearby University of Hull.
Property Types in Cottingham and Skidby
Most properties sold in Cottingham are semi-detached, with the average price of properties in Skidby being slightly higher than in Cottingham. Off Skidby’s Main Street, there is a lovely cul-de-sac location of 4 bedroom detached homes close to the local primary school. On Harland Way, which connects to Skidby, 87 new homes have been built on a 4.7-hectare site with a selection of 2,3,4 and 5 homes, 24% of which are affordable housing. The homes have significant plots, vast rooms, open plan layouts and french doors which open onto south-facing gardens.
South Street offers charming 5 bedroom semi-detached homes full of character, dating back to the 1900s. Thwaite Street, near Cottingham train station, is ideal for commuters to Beverley and Hull, with contemporary 3 bedroom townhouses. Westgreen, just off Hallgate Street, has 2 bedroom terraced townhouses, which make ideal starter homes. For those 70 years and over, a stunning development of 1 bedroom apartments provides independent living adjacent to the ALDI supermarket for convenience.
Schools and Colleges in the Cottingham and Skidby Area
As rated by Ofsted, there are two outstanding local primary schools in the area, with Bacon Garth Primary School winning multiple awards, including The Inclusive School Award and Health Heartbeat award for healthy school meals. There are two good local high schools and Hymers College independent school, which produces the best A level results in East Yorkshire.
Nursery and Pre-Schools
- Wishing Well Nursery - Good
- The Village Day Nursery and Pre-school - Good
- Skidby Pre-school - Good
Primary Schools
- Westfield Primary School - Outstanding
- Bacon Garth Primary School - Outstanding
- Skidby Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - Good
- Hallgate Primary School Cottingham - Good
Secondary Schools
- Cottingham High School and Sixth Form College - Good
- Wolfreton School and Sixth Form College - Good
Independent Schools
- Hessle Mount School
- Froebel House School
- Hymers College
Grammar Schools
- Beverley Grammar School
Local Colleges and Universities
- East Riding College
- Wyke Sixth Form College
- Bishop Burton College
- University of Hull
Things to do in Cottingham and Skidby
St Mary’s Cottingham
St Mary’s has been Cottingham’s church since 1150 and is listed as a Grade I listed building, with centuries of worship having passed through its doors. The walls inside are dedicated to the landowners, merchants, sailors and soldiers in its history, and the church organ was made by Forster and Matthews, a Victorian organ building company.
Skidby Windmill
A four-sailed tower mill, built in 1821, Skidby Windmill is set in over an acre of land with views overlooking the low hills of the Yorkshire Wolds and the Humber Bridge. The Skidby Windmill has its original outbuilding in its courtyard, and in 1870 the mill was extended to six storeys high.
The Museum of East Riding Rural Life
Adjacent to the Skidby Mill is its museum with a collection of objects that depict the agricultural and rural life of the East Riding area. There are also photographs, implements and models to help visitors relive the experiences of the local people. Among the wildflowers outside, you will find a play area and tree mazes.
Risby Park Fishing Ponds
Under 2 miles away from Cottingham and Skidby, the Risby Park Fishing Ponds were built on the ancient site of Risby Hall, a former stately home, and is how the ponds got their name. The area attracts wild deer, and the serene surroundings make for ideal coarse fishing conditions. The nearby Sandwich-shack is great for a bite to eat!
Artmarket Gallery
An independent gallery where you can browse a range of contemporary art in one of the country’s leading galleries. The work on display ranges from promising new talent to legendary, well-known artists like David Hockney.
Blue Kangaroo
On Finkle Street at the heart of Cottingham is Blue Kangaroo, an indoor children’s adventure play area. For children up to 8 years, the play area allows them to socialise, play, and most of all have fun in a safe environment. Parents or guardians can enjoy a peaceful snack, meal or drink while keeping an eye on the little ones.
Music Time Cottingham
Every Monday and Tuesday, the Civic Hall Cottingham has music time for children up to four years old with an adult present. These sessions aim to introduce basic music, listening, singing and social skills in interactive sessions led by professional musicians.
Abbot’s Walk Children’s Play Area
Abbot’s Walk Park and Garden is an enclosed play area, located in a large playing field, and suitable for children of all ages. There are benches in front of the play area for the adults to watch as the kids amuse themselves on twisty slides, climbing walls, and swings.
Scarborough Beaches
Cottingham Train Station offers a service directly to Scarborough in just over 1hr where you’ll find the North Bay and South Bay beaches. The North Bay is a blue flag beach, and most of it is away from the road with a chalet-lined promenade. The South Bay is a busier beach as it is closer to local amenities and has soft sand. It’s also the perfect sun trap!
Bridlington Beaches
There is also a Cottingham train to Bridlington, where you’ll find its north and south beaches. The north beach has both sand and shingle and offers fantastic views of Flamborough Headland chalk cliffs. The south beach is busier next to the promenade and Bridlington Spa, but the more south you walk, the more tranquil and peaceful the beach becomes.
Cleethorpes Beach
A simple drive down the A164 and over the Humber Bridge near Grimsby is Cleethorpes Beach. This sandy beach goes on for miles, and during the warmer months, a lifeguard service is available. The beach offers many fantastic activities like donkey rides, a paddling pool, and award-winning gardens to view on the promenade. Popular activities on the beach include canoeing, jet-skiing, paddle-boarding, surfing and of course, swimming.
Shopping and Leisure in Cottingham & Skidby
Shopping
Cottingham has two Victorian high streets, King Street and Hallgate, which intersect in the middle of the village and serve Skidby residents too. Hallgate has Barker's gift shop – a family business, a homeware shop and some independent clothing stores. There’s an ALDI supermarket on Summer’s Drive, a Sainsbury’s Local on King Street and a Co-op Food. Duffill's is a charming little greengrocer. Heron Foods provides reasonably priced branded foods, and Londis has an off-license. On Crescent Street, you’ll find the Peacocks store, and the Southwood Gardening Centre is not just a garden centre but also a farm shop and café with ingredients locally sourced from Southwood Farm.
Restaurants
There is something in Cottingham for everyone when it comes to dining, from timber-framed restaurants with a cast-iron fireplace like The Blue Bell Restaurant to Kristoff's for a great value cooked breakfast. Next to Skidby Mill is The Millhouse Restaurant serving Italian dishes with a piano bar, and next door is Sails Café for hot and cold food and coffee. Hallgate Street is your gateway to the finest food around. Visit Alishaan Indian restaurant, Woksoever Cantonese Restaurant or Cassiel Bar and Kitchen, which offers fine food like pasta, grills, and tapas. You can’t miss Blonde on King Street, which has the most exciting plant food, and the laid-back atmosphere of Pasco’s Italian brings with it some exceptional pizza, pasta, and antipasti.
Pubs
There are copious pubs in the area, from the family-friendly Fair Maid pub to the Cross Keys Gastropub. The King William IV has great character with a lovely garden setting, and next door, The Hugh Fitz-Baldric of Cottingham has an excellent selection of cask beers and pulled real ales. At the Tiger Inn, live sports matches are shown every day. The Duke of Cumberland is the place to go for a quintessential Sunday roast, and Hallgate Tavern also serves tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and alcoholic beverages.
Cinema and Theatre
The Cottingham Civic Hall is managed by the charitable organisation Cottingham Village Trust and is where the Hull Musical Theatre Company meets weekly to perform musical concerts and shows. The Darby and Joan Hall hosts amateur theatrical performances and concerts, including those from the Cottingham Little Theatre who perform three productions a year. Cineworld Hull is just 2.6 miles from Cottingham and the go-to for watching the latest blockbusters on the big screen in both 2D and 3D formats.
Gym and Health
There are many ways to keep fit locally, including the Cottingham Parks Leisure Club, with a pool and gym. For children, the Cottingham Sports Centre has Tumble and Twist gymnastics and kids’ football. Total Fitness on Beverley Road in Hull also caters for all your fitness needs with a running track, swimming pool, gym, and over 70 fitness classes. Next to Total Fitness is The Edge EPT that focuses on performance and personal training. There are many clubs to join in the area, including Cottingham Lawn Tennis Club with nine hard courts, three of which are artificial grass, a Cottingham Tigers Rugby Club, and a Cottingham bowling club.
Golf Clubs
There are three unique golf clubs to choose from in the Cottingham & Skidby area, which each offer something different. Cottingham Parks Golf & Leisure Club has 200 acres of parkland setting with a high-tech gym, swimming pool and equestrian centre to boot. Hessle Golf Club has top-quality playing, USGA standards greens and is a test of skill as well as being enjoyable, making it one of Yorkshire’s most sought-after courses. Skidby Lakes, although next door to Cottingham Parks Golf, offers something a bit different with a mixture of smaller and tricky greens and more than 3,000 trees planted in its 150 acres.
Other Entertainment
Cottingham Parks offers an equestrian centre with an indoor and outdoor arena, show jumps, dressage boards and fences, with competitions and regular shows in which to partake. Hull Kingston Archers for ages ten and above has a large indoor sports hall with six distance targets, and the club brings people together and promises a night of sociable fun. The Cottingham Civic Hall hosts musical performances from tribute acts to current bands, and The Darby and Joan Hall has dance classes, embroidery, yoga, and painting.
Travel Connections
Cottingham and Skidby have immediate access to the A164, making trips to Beverley village and over the Humber Bridge simple. Hull is 15 minutes by car or less than 10 by train. Skidby buses go back and forth to Cottingham, and the nearest train station, Cottingham, goes to the coast and northern cities. The nearest airport is 25 minutes away.
Train
Cottingham Train Station is served by Northern Rail and Hull Trains, with the train to Hull taking less than 10 minutes. There are frequent train services to coastal towns like Scarborough and Bridlington and the cities of York and Sheffield.
Road
The A164 runs through Cottingham and Skidby and reaches north into Beverley town and south to the Humber Bridge. In less than 5 minutes, you can be on the A1079, which leads to Hull and York. It takes around 20 minutes to access the M62 taking you to Leeds, Manchester, and Liverpool.
Air
Humberside Airport is the nearest airport, taking under 25 minutes via the A164. The Doncaster Sheffield Airport takes less than 1 hour, and Leeds Bradford Airport via the M62 takes less than 1 hour 30 minutes.
Ferry
P&O Ferries to Europe service is just 15 miles away and travels to Rotterdam in Holland.
Bus
On Skidby Main Street, the 180 bus has a frequent service to Beverley and into Cottingham. From Cottingham King Street, the 63, 104 and 105 buses take you around the local area. The 63, 104, and 105 go to Hull within around 34 minutes. For destinations further afield, like York, take the Eastrider X46 and X47 buses.
5 quirky facts!
- Skidby Windmill is the last working mill in Yorkshire and produces its own whole grain flour.
- The famous British poet Philip Larkin is buried in Cottingham cemetery.
- Barbara Buttrick, a world champion of women’s boxing, was born in Cottingham.
- St Mary’s Church Cottingham has been around since 1150, when King Stephen was on the throne in the Middle Ages.
- The Half Moon Inn in Skidby still has its original beams from the 17th century.
Images of Cottingham and Skidby
