During the Roman Eboracum period, the area in which Skeldergate runs lay within the civilian settlement.

The land between the street and the river became the main area for dockside activity in the city, various wharves, and a crane, along with an assortment of warehouses.

The southern end of the street ran through the Skeldergate Postern gate, and a ferry operated across the Ouse at this point.

The street is prone to flooding, and as a result, the ground floors of many buildings on the river side are given over to car parking.

Buildings on the north-east side include the modern Albion Wharf and City Mills blocks, both praised in Pevsner, and the late 19th-century Bonding Warehouse.