Skelmanthorpe is a clustered village 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. According to the 2011 census, the village has 4,549 inhabitants. The village sits on the south (right) bank of the first river-like flow, from three small headwaters (uniting in the northwest corner of the parish), of the Dearne. It is part of the civil parish of Denby Dale in the Kirklees Borough, the main local authority.