You are here: Home: Leisure and culture: Parks and open spaces: Local parks and playgrounds: Shibden Park

Shibden Park

The landscape

The landscape has developed over the years, with additions by the families over the centuries.

From the hall, step out onto the terrace and you will see how the landscape has evolved. Look out over the terrace walls down towards the lake and you will see remnants of the old field boundaries marked by mature trees, and may also see traces of old mining works in the parkland.

The terraces were part of a grand programme of designs for a gothic landscape commissioned by Anne Lister in the 1830s. This included the wilderness garden and tunnel under Shibden Hall Road where water once cascaded down through the lily pond and on through the woodland to the lake. The lake or "Meer" was created for Anne Lister and also the Gatehouse and Lister's Lane carriage drive.

In the 1850s a "Paisley Shawl" garden was designed for the terrace by Joshua Major, a leading landscape designer of the time.

All the above features are to be restored to re-create the romantic landscape of the park, and if you walk down to the lakeside you will find many park facilities including a miniature railway, boating, pitch and putt and play area.

The estate continues to evolve, for example the Dry Stone Walling Exhibition, demonstrates the many skills and methods of dry stone walling that you can see in the wider landscape.

Why not take a break in our tea rooms, the park café or take a ride (boats, miniature railway) on your next visit to the estate concessionaires.

back to top