Selby

Selby

Selby is a lovely commuter town which is situated near York and Leeds – it is actually 14 miles south of York on the River Ouse. According to the census of 2011, its population was 14,371 though recent immigration must surely have swelled this figure.
It can be argued that Selby’s main attraction is the fabulous abbey which was reputedly founded by Benedict of Auxerre in 1069 – the official crest is three swans which Benedict apparently saw on a lake and said they signified the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Significantly, in 1539, the abbey was closed as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII and subsequently, some of the buildings have been demolished.
Selby is interesting from an historical point of view, as it was there that the important English Civil War battle called the Battle of Selby took place. Also, there is the cholera burial ground on the north side of the abbey and the market place which was moved away from the monastery churchyard in the early fourteenth century.
Notably, Selby was a centre for shipbuilding with vessels launched side-on into the river due to a lack of space for a conventional launch. One main shipyard was that of Cochrane and Sons who produced well-known vessels like the Ross Tiger. The last launch in the Ouse was in 1998. Once the shipyards closed, they became the home to many small businesses. Selby Canal was also important as it brought trade from Leeds.
The town’s origin dates from the establishment of a Viking settlement on the banks of the River Ouse. It is originally believed to have been called Seletun according to an Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in AD 779.
Selby is also reputed to be the birthplace of King Henry I (in 1068/69) who was the fourth son of William the Conqueror.
In more recent years, Selby was the leading coal mining area in the UK, and, in 1995, Wistow Colliery set a record of 200,743 tonnes of coal mined in one week. Unfortunately, the Selby Complex closed on Friday 14th of May, 2004, despite rising demand for coal in the UK.
Happily, the town centre and its outskirts have seen the development of new shopping areas like The Abbey Walk Shopping Centre and The Three Lakes Retail Park.
Selby is well-connected by rail and road to destinations like Leeds, York, Manchester and Hull etc.
It also has good football, rugby union and cricket teams and if for no other reason, as stated, it is worth visiting solely to see the magnificent building that is Selby Abbey!

Selby is featured within FTHM Issue 63