North Yorkshire
Before the previous local government reorganisation in 1974, Selby was in the West Riding of Yorkshire, as was most of the wider district except for a part east of the River Ouse which was in the East Riding.
Selby is 8 miles east of
The River Ouse, which runs along the north-east edge of the town has played an important role in its growth, as has its historic abbey.
Both Romans and Vikings used the River Ouse which flows through Selby between York and the Humber estuary, but the town's rise to prominence came after the Norman invasion of 1066. Selby is considered by historians to be the likely birthplace in 1068 of Henry, the fourth son of King William I (William the Conqueror), who became King Henry I in 1100. In 1069 the Benedictine monastery was founded in Selby and the abbey church still survives in the town, as outlined in more detail below.
On April 11, 1644 the town was the scene of the English Civil War Battle of Selby as Parliamentary forces gained control of the town and its routes to York and Hull through a defensive ring of barricades and flooded fields. From Selby they were able to continue their advance towards York, the King's main centre in the north.
Selby later became an important port on the River Ouse with associated industries including boatbuilding, rope-making, flour milling and many others. For a period in the late 18th century it became an exceptionally busy port after it became the junction of the navigable River Ouse and the then-new Selby Canal, a by-pass of the meandering tidal lower section of the River Aire and thus carrying much of the boat traffic of the industrial West Riding of Yorkshire. Further canal building, however, was to later see that traffic going to Goole rather than Selby.
The area around Selby includes much agricultural land, but from 1976 and 2004, the town was the centre of the Selby coalfield, which produced coal from underground seams, mostly to feed nearby coal-fired power stations
Town features
The main shopping street in the town is Gowthorpe, which runs into The Crescent, providing a broad selection of goods from a mixture of local and national traders as well as a department store. Nearby is the Market Cross Shopping Centre, a modern development of small shops featuring some traditional traders, including a greengrocer and butcher's shop. There are also shops around Micklegate. There are supermarkets at the edge of the town centre and an out-of-town Three Lakes Retail Park.
A market is held each Monday at the Market Place, Gowthorpe and also in Micklegate offering a whole range of fresh food, clothing, household and other goods. There are also larger regional markets on bank holidays and a Saturday Christmas Market early in December. The town also has a Farmers' and Craft Market on the third Saturday of each month, except January, and a Farmers' Market on the first Wednesday of each month, except January.
Selby Post Office is in Gowthorpe.
Selby has pharmacies. 
There are banks in Selby town centre.
Although Selby has seen a number of pub closures in recent years, there is still a selection of pubs around the town centre.
The town has a varied selection of places to eat ranging from cafes and coffee shops, to restaurants, takeaways and pub food.
Selby Library, run by North Yorkshire County Council, is in Micklegate. Find opening times at this 
NYCC Selby Library
NYCC Selby Library 
There are public conveniences at the pavilion in Selby Park and a 20p entry toilet at Station Road, opposite the bus stands.
The navigable River Ouse runs at the north-east edge of the town, crossed by rail and road swing bridges.
The 5.5 mile long Selby Canal between Selby and Haddlesley was built between 1775 and 1778 to link the Aire and Calder Navigation and the River Ouse, bypassing the lower tidal section of the Aire. The canal had an important influence in Selby's economy over the next 50 years until a new larger canal was built from Knottingley to Goole. Find out more about the Selby Canal at the
Canal & River Trust - Selby Canal 
Selby Park is a small park situated near to the town centre, between Selby Abbey and the railway station with a play area, bowls green, mini golf, bandstand and pavilion, which is open April to October.
There are several schools and a college in Selby.
Places of worship: Anglican, Methodist, Catholic, United Reformed, other.
The church of Selby Abbey can trace its history back nearly 1,000 years and many English kings visited the abbey over its lifetime. It is a rare survivor as an abbey church, which was built at a Benedictine monastery founded in 1069. The church was begun around the start of the 12th century, but has seen many changes over its years. The church was restored after a major fire in 1340 and there were further alterations in the 15th century. Selby was apparently treated favourably by King Henry VIII at the time of the monastery's Dissolution surrender in December 1539 and the church was left intact. There has however been considerable damage and restoration since that time, including the collapse of its central tower in 1690 which also destroyed the south transept. The tower was rebuilt in around 1701 by a local builder in the style of the time. In the mid-19th century there was substantial restoration of the church, but the abbey was extensively damaged by a fire in 1906. A complete restoration took place in the following years, followed by the rebuilding of the south transept, which was consecrated in 1912. Today the abbey church of St Mary and St Germain continues to be an active parish church at the centre of its local community.More information at the
Selby Abbey 
Sport
Selby Town FC play at the Flaxley Road Ground, at Richard Street off Scott Road, Selby. Official website 
Selby RUFC play rugby union at Sandhill Lane, off Leeds Road, Selby. Selby Warriors ARLFC have men's, women's and junior rugby league teams at Foxhill Lane, Brayton, Selby.
Selby Cricket Club is based at Sandhill Lane, off Leeds Road, Selby.
Entertainment
Selby Town Hall
York Street
A variety of music, comedy and theatre is staged at Selby Town Hall
Website Places to visit
Skipwith Common
Situated four mile north-east of Selby, Skipwith Common is a National Nature Reserve and Special Area of Conservation as one of a few remaining areas of lowland heath in northern England. The common features a 270 hectare ancient landscape including a huge variety of plants and animals and small signs of around 4,000 years of human impact, such as bronze and iron age burial mounds. Skipwith Common is managed by the landowner, the Escrick Park Estate, in partnership with Natural England and is supported by a Friends group.Information at
Friends of Skipwith Common Escrick Park Estate 
Yorkshire Air Museum
The Yorkshire Air Museum is at the former RAF Elvington, about 3 miles south-west of York. During World War II it was an RAF Bomber Command Station used by Allied bomber crews, including French Air Force squadrons. The museum now situated there has a huge range of exhibits taking visitors from the earliest pioneers of aviation, including Yorkshireman George Cayley, through both World Wars and the Cold War era. More than 60 aircraft and flight-related vehicles are on show at the airfield. The museum is also the location of the Allied Air Forces Memorial, commemorating all allied airmen and women.
More details at the
Yorkshire Air Museum Find
Yorkshire Air Museum York
Selby is just over 14 miles south of Yorkshire's principal city by road and is in easy reach by train, bus or car. Find out more about the historic city on our York page.
Travel
Selby
Between 1871 and 1983, Selby was a station on the East Coast Mainline, but this was diverted away from the town in 1983 to avoid potential subsidence in the Selby coalfield, but there are still trains southbound to London and via the diverted route northbound to York.
Eastbound platform:
West, North or Southbound platforms:
Train details from December 15, 2019. Services may serve intermediate stations in addition to those mentioned.
Station managed by TransPennine Express.
Northern - Selby 
Bus services
Road travel
The A19 runs through Selby town centre, linking the town to York 14.5 miles to the north and also running south-south-westwards to the (M62) 8 miles away and towards Doncaster 21 miles away. The A63 forms an eastern by-pass around Selby, and runs westward from the by-pass towards Leeds while joining the A19 northwards with the A63 continuing eastward towards Howden and via a stretch of the (M62) towards Hull . From the town centre, Leeds Road is now the A1238, which connects to the A63. The A1041 Bawtry Road runs to the south-south-east of the town towards Snaith. The B1223 runs from Selby towards Cawood and Tadcaster .
Emergency services
North Yorkshire Police North Yorkshire Police North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 
Local government
Town council
Selby Town Council is based at the Town Hall, York Street, and is in charge of the Town Hall, Selby Cemetery, allotments and some play areas. It manages a community centre for the Selby Community Trust and is also responsible for community woodland and a farmhouse and issues grants to local organisations. The council is made up of 18 councillors elected across four wards. A town mayor and deputy mayor are elected by the council each year.
Selby Town Council Unitary authority
The North Yorkshire Council is a new unitary authority formed from the previous County Council from April 1, 2023. It covers the existing county duties including highways, schools, libraries and transport planning over an area of 3,109 square miles while also taking over the responsibilities of the seven huge district authorities also created in 1974 — Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough and Selby — these including local planning, waste collection, street cleaning, parks and car parks, housing and markets serving a population of around 615,500*.
Councillors were elected to the County Council in 2022 and continue as councillors of the new North Yorkshire Council unitary authority. There have been a few by-elections to fill councillor vacancies since then.
Places in 
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire Link to council website: North Yorkshire Council
North Yorkshire Council Open Government Licence v3.0 Political composition:
CI = Conservative & Independent NY Ind = North Yorkshire Independents group LC = Labour & Cooperative
Composition and groupings - source North Yorkshire Council (February 2024)
Strategic authority
York and North Yorkshire Combined AuthorityThe York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority was created in December 2023 combining the unitary authority of York and the unitary authority of North Yorkshire — that created in April 2023 after the abolition of the county authority and its seven district authorities. The combined authority will run some functions under the new mayor elected in May 2024 as part of the government's so-called "Devolution deal" which ties the availablity of funding to the new governance arrangements. As well as having powers over housing development, transport and boosting skills and education across the 3,214 square miles of York and North Yorkshire, the elected mayor also takes on the role and functions of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner across the area.
Elected mayor:
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner North YorkshireCovers the county of
City of York Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner North Yorkshire Parliamentary constituency
SelbyElected MP: