The name Snaith is thought to mean 'enclosed by water' and the area is known locally as the Three Rivers area.

The river Aire, which is tidal, runs through the centre of the town and in medieval times Snaith was a busy port with a harbour and ferry across the river to Selby.

The actual founding of Snaith is obscure, but it was well established as part of the Royal hunting lodge before 1066 and so has no separate entry in the Domesday Book.

In its hey-day Snaith had twelve pubs and four tailors, and although there is no tailor and the pubs are reduced to five, it is still a busy little shopping centre.

In 1777, in response to a public petition, Thomas Stapleton of 'Carlton Towers', built a bridge to encourage the flax trade and to ease the difficulty of transporting bodies from Carlton by ferry to be buried in Snaith churchyard.