Shibden Hall — Attraction in Calderdale

Really nice day out! We walked up from Halifax on a Monday in the school holidays. Both the hall and the park were busy but not so much that you couldn't get round/see everything. Staff and volunteers were very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

We visited having heard of Shibden Hall via Gentleman Jack, but aside from Anne Lister it's a really interesting place in general. We spent the most part of a day there, exploring the house first and then the grounds, stopping for lunch at the café which, while busy, still had room to sit and the food was nice! As well as the house itself with an array of furniture and interesting facts about life at Shibden throughout the ages, there is a display about several of the occupants and a folk museum in the old barn, with carriages and lots of rooms set up like different trade premises that would have been common in the past. We were both adults but I think the museum would be great for any child interested in history too.

Largely due to the age of the house there is sadly limited access - if you have accessibility requirements I'd definitely recommend getting in touch beforehand if possible as the staff are very friendly and I'm certain they'll advise and do all they can.

The grounds are large and hilly, we had a nice walk all around, there are wooded bits, an adventure playground, small boating lake and miniature railway, the last two have very affordable prices. There's also a land train which goes from the house down the hill to the lake etc, which would be good if you aren't able to or don't fancy walking around.

We walked there from Halifax, it was not too far and easy to find but it was an uphill walk, some of it on cobbles, though I think there are other routes that would be more paved.

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I’m from a ways away and very happy to have had the opportunity to visit Shibden. The house was well-kept, with each room beautifully furnished and with exhibits around the house and barn area. You can really see the care put into its preservation. It looks like it could have been lived in yesterday, and you can really take your time letting the details sink in. Lots of information on the signs focusing on the furniture and architectural details of the house and who added them (lots by Anne Lister)! You’ll get the history of the house from before, during, and after Anne’s lifetime. There was a room upstairs, one of the bedrooms Anne resided in, with a journal for visitors to leave a note in. And there was a bed to sit on, a top hat, and a mirror where you could take a selfie. That was a nice touch. You can also see some props used in the filming of Gentleman Jack, and the signs tell you which rooms were used for filming.

The staff in the reception and the cafe/shop were very friendly! I did have one gripe, which was that one staff member, an expert on the house, kept asking guests “are you interested in the history of the house, or just Anne Lister?” before talking a bit about the remodeling of the center room - it’s understandable in that she’s probably been asked about Anne Lister countless countless times and wanted to share more of her knowledge about Shibden, but it still came off as somewhat passive aggressive and just unnecessary… As someone interested in Anne Lister, as well as the history of the house, I wasn’t exactly encouraged to ask her questions! Overall, it was a really lovely trip and park - hard to get to without a car, through streets that were not at all pedestrian friendly - and I really loved stepping back through time for...

What a wonderful place! I'd give it 10 stars if I could. It's just a ten minute drive up a wooded hill from the centre of Halifax. At the entrance there's a modern café, toilets, children's play area and car park (there's a small parking charge, £1.50 if you stay two hours or longer). From here you can either walk the fairly long and steep path up to the hall, or take the bumpy but highly enjoyable ride in the land train for £2.50 return (I walked up and rode back). Either way you get to enjoy extensive views of the park, woodland and lake. Gorgeous autumn foliage when I was there. The lovely old Tudor hall has a garden terrace and a gatehouse added by Anne Lister in 1837. Did the self guided tour of the hall, along a one-way system with interpretation panels and helpful stewards all the way. It was a delight to wander through the rooms with their low oak beamed ceilings, beautiful wood panelling and original richly carved furniture, and to learn about the many alterations Anne Lister made. You can see a few of her personal belongings, diary excerpts, documents and lots of info about her remarkable life. It's also well worth visiting the folk museum with its tiny cottage, workshops, apothecary and a collection of carriages, one of them used by the Lister family. There's a small café and gift shop at the end of the tour. Did not get time to explore the park fully or ride the miniature railway (next time hopefully!) but I did manage a brief stroll by the boating lake which is close to the car park. You need an entire day to see everything. Will...