History of Anne Lister's home Shibden Hall ahead of BBC drama Gentleman Jack

If you've grown up in Halifax you've probably been to Shibden Hall on a school trip or a day out at the weekend.
History of Anne Lister's home Shibden Hall ahead of BBC drama Gentleman JackHistory of Anne Lister's home Shibden Hall ahead of BBC drama Gentleman Jack
History of Anne Lister's home Shibden Hall ahead of BBC drama Gentleman Jack

But tourists from across the world are expected to flock to the historic hall following the success of Gentleman Jack, the latest Sally Wainwright drama based on the life of Halifax diarist Anne Lister.

Read: Take a tour around Shibden Hall and learn about historic Gentleman Jack ahead of BBC dramaAs the TV drama hits our screens, here are a few things to know about the Grade II listed building that was the home of 'Gentleman Jack' in the 19th century.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shibden Hall is a historic house that sits on the outskirts of Halifax town centre in the Shibden valley.

The property dates back to 1420 when it was owned by William Otes and before 1619, the estate was owned by the Savile and Waterhouse families.

From 1615 the Shibden estate was in the hands of the Lister family for over 300 years, with the most famous resident being Anne Lister.

During her time as owner of the hall she made a number of changes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She commissioned York architect John Harper and landscape gardener Samuel Gray in 1830 to make improvements to the house and grounds.

A gothic tower was added to the building for use as a library and the major features of the Shibden Park were also created, including terraced gardens, rock gardens, cascades and a boating lake.

The hall was donated to Halifax Corporation in 1933 and in the next year it was opened it as a museum.

Read: Suranne Jones: Filming at Anne Lister’s home of Shibden Hall was magicalFollowing major grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Calderdale Council, the park and gardens were restored between 2007 and 2008.

For more information on Shibden Hall visit museums.calderdale.gov.uk.

The first episode of Gentleman Jack will appear on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday (May 19).