Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Schiterike 1313 WCR

• (riuulum voc') Skytryk 1489 WCR1

• Skyttyryge 1533 WfdBurg

• Skittericke Bridge 1579 ib

• rivulum Skittericke 1617 Tayl

Etymology

Skitterick (lost), 1812 Tayl 302, Schiterike 1313 WCR, (riuulum voc ') Skytryk 1489WCR 1, Skyttyryge 1533 WfdBurg 17, Skittericke Bridge 1579 ib, rivulum Skittericke 1617 Tayl. This name occurs several times in YW, Skyterick i, 120, Skytrykhill 40, Broad Skitrick & Long Skitrick i, 271supra , Sluttering Hill ii, 189, Skitterick ii, 220, Skittrick (Thorner) pt. iv, Skiterik (Otley) pt. iv, Skittricks (Middleton) pt. v, Skittergate Gutter (Ripon) pt. v, as well as in YN 6; they are all doubtless 'open sewers'; Skitterick in Wakefield was a small stream that ran down Kirkgate from Wrengate (Tayl 109) and was a drain which was to be kept clear (WfdBurg 17). The name is from OE  scite 'dung', cf. OE  scitere 'sewer' with ON  sk - substituted for sh -, and OE  ric in the sense 'ditch' (cf. Ekwall, RN 365).