The history of Shibden Hall in Halifax is crammed with details dating back over half a century. This week, as part of Heritage Open Days, many historic sites across England open their doors to the public for free. I couldnāt miss the chance to visit a local historical house for free, and I dragged my mum with me. Well, not dragged. She was as eager to go as I was.
Shibden Hall has become a famous historic manor across the globe following the TV series Gentleman Jack starring Suranne Jones as Anne Lister, now Shibdenās famous former resident.
Halifax is close to where I live, and we often visit the park, but I havenāt been inside the house since I was a child. It was lovely to walk through the rooms again and learn a bit more about the history of the manor house. Of course, Iām delighted to share a few facts with you. š
The History of Shibden Hall
There are so many details I could include, but Iāll keep it to five.
- Shibden Hall dates to the 1420s, so it was built before the Wars of the Roses. It was first listed as being a small manor owned by William Otes. Over the next two centuries, it changed hands and was owned by the Savile family, then the Waterhouse family. During this time, the Tudor-timbered front was added.
- In 1619, the Listers, who had generated their wealth as cloth merchants and mill owners thanks to Halifaxās thriving textile industry, purchased the Shibden Estate; it remained in their family for 300 years.
- Anne Lister was a unique female of the Georgina era, not just because she had sexual relationships with women, but also because she inherited Shibden and became a landowner in her own right in 1836. However, she had been running the estate since 1826. (Learn more about Anne Lister from my blog post.)
- Anne made several improvements to the hall and the estate, including adding the Gothic library tower and the grand staircase. She also commissioned the addition of terraced gardens, rock gardens, cascades and a boating lake.
- When Anne Lister died in 1840, she left the estate to her āwifeā, Ann Walker. Ann died 14 years later, and the estate returned to the Lister family.
- In 1933, the Lister family donated the Shibden Estate to the Halifax Corporation. Shibden Hall opened as a museum in 1934, and the park was opened to the public.
Okay, so thatās six facts. Consider the last one an extra treat.
Shibden Hall Today
The hall is still a museum run by the local authority and is open to the public for a fee. Shibden Park is still free to access, with green hills rolling down from the hall to a small boating lake, a cafƩ and a miniature railway.
The 17th-century aisled barn and outbuildings now house the Folk Museum. There you can see one of the oldest carriages still on display. The Lister Chaise dates to 1725, and it was used by the family for centuries. Youāll note there is no bench for a driver. Instead, the carriage was drawn by two horses, one of which would be ridden by a āpostillionā to drive the carriage.
Some of the estateās workshops and cottages also feature displays relating to different crafts, including a blacksmith, cooper, wheelwright and saddler. Thereās also a cosy recreation of a 19th-century pub, and I spotted the most popular beverages were available.
I find the hallās interior a little gloomy, but thatās because most of the walls have been covered with dark wood panelling, and the mullion windows donāt allow for much natural light. However, itās also crammed with original features and furniture, some dating from the early 1600s. With its pokey stairways, uneven floorboards and secret cupboards, Shibden Hall is truly a history loverās paradise.
š brilliant place to visit