Anne Lister: Thursday 9th June 2022
Anne Lister: (Gentleman Jack) - Thursday 9th June 2022
A new venture for the Thursday group, in two respects, the first walk not to start in Idle village and a specifically designated history walk. It was also much shorter than the usual walks coming in at just nine miles. With series two of Gentleman Jack having just finished on the BBC there was much interest in the walk and eleven walkers, including three from the Calderdale group assembled at Coffee Culture in Shibden Park eagerly anticipating the walk in front of them. Coffees drunk, we headed off into the morning sunshine and quickly reached Shibden Hall, Anne Lister’s home and after a quick tour of the outside we headed for Cunnery Wood, which housed Anne’s kitchen garden. Heading on up the hill, we passed the impressive ventilation shaft for Walker Pit.
The track down to Wakefield Gate into Halifax was out of action due to the installation of new gas pipes, so we took a diversion and headed over Beacon Hill, which affords impressive views of the town of Halifax .Continuing on the diversion we dropped down Southowram Bank to The Piece Hall, stopping on-route to take a photograph of the group by the mural of Suranne Jones, as Anne Lister. The Piece Hall, is impressive in its own right but also has a statue of Anne Lister, sculpted by Dianne Lawrenson. Leaving the Piece Hall by the North Gate, we had an early lunch stop before visiting Halifax Minster, where we were greeted by our guide, David Glover, who took us on an interesting and informative tour of the minster linked to Anne Lister and Ann Walker, the highlight being Anne Lister’s tombstone.
Anne Lister was a successful female entrepreneur, landowner, traveller and diarist who lived at Shibden until her death in 1840. ‘I love and only love the fairer sex and thus beloved of them in turn my heart revolts from other love than theirs.’ - Anne Lister, January 1821. More detail of her life would be recanted at the end of the walk when the group would undertake a tour of Shibden Hall.
We continued on our voyage of discovery by climbing back up to Beacon Hill Road, where we headed through Claremont towards High Sunderland Farm and the site of High Sunderland Hall. On reaching Howcans Wood we descended to Ousel Hall, on the market for £650K and Lee House, recently sold for £1.25m. As we exited the path onto Lee Lane and the entrance of Ousel Hall, Trevor took a tumble. I would like to say he landed like linen on a freshly made bed but unfortunately he landed like the proverbial sack of potatoes!!! The more impressive Scout Hall in Scout Wood was undergoing a complete renovation. Dropping down over Shibden Brook, we were soon on Simm Carr Lane and were able to make good time in reaching Shibden Mill, (built in 1649).
‘I am not made like any other I have seen. I dare believe myself to be different from any others who exist.’ – Anne Lister, August 1823. And coincidentally exactly what Trevor said to me in the car as we drove to the start. - June 2022!!!
The final leg of the walk took us past Horley Green Spa and the Spa House. Before reaching Stump House Farm and our return to Shibden Park, where we followed Lister’s Lane through the woods back to Shibden Hall. Although built in the early part of the 15th century, it did not come into the Lister family possession, (through marriage), until 1619 and was inherited by Anne Lister in 1836. It was gifted to the people of Halifax in 1923.
The group then took a tour of the hall, again being kept informed by the tour guide and seeing the rooms where filming had taken place for the TV series and the study where Anne wrote her diaries, which amounted to over five million words, by her death in 1840, some of which was written in code. Viewers of Gentleman Jack will know why code was used. The outside of the hall was a village in itself with a blacksmiths, Coopers, Wheelwrights and Apothecary amongst other buildings but the pub seemed to garner most interest for some reason!!! This completed an interesting and thought provoking history walk.
My next Thursday walk is the Lancastrian Schoolroom, history walk, in three weeks’ time. Back to the longer walks, being 22 miles. So a lot less history and more walking!!!
