LOCATION, SETTING, LANDFORM, BOUNDARIES, AREA Gisburne Hall Park lies immediately north of the village of Gisburn and occupies the angle formed by the confluence of the River Ribble and the Stock Beck. An unnamed tributary of the Stock Beck bisects the park from north to south. The setting is rural and agricultural and the park is a landscape of undulating grassland with several drumlins visible as low rounded hillocks. There are two separate areas of interest: the first and largest c. 68ha in area contains Gisburne Hall Park, bounded on the north by the River Ribble and field boundaries and on the east by the stone wall defining the A682. On the south it is bounded by field boundaries forming the northern extent of Gisburn village and the northern boundary of Mill Lane; the latter also forms the western boundary. The second area of interest is situated on Coppy Hill to the west and comprises the enclosure known as the ‘Great Nursery’ c. 1.3ha in area. ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES The principal entrance is at the south and comprises a pair of C18 gate lodges (listed Grade II*) in Gothick style; the entrance flanked by gate lodges and the line of the drive may have been influenced by the planned design of Lord Robert Petre. Each lodge is flanked by a pair of square piers with crocketed pinnacles, linked to their lodges by iron railings, and iron railings link to a central pair of gate piers housing double iron gates. The drive runs north across the railway tunnel embankment and through the mixed wooded valley of an unnamed water course, and emerges just south-east of the hall to join a west-east route. The earthwork remains of the earlier drive (abandoned in 1778) survive in parkland to the west, as a hollow way partially lined with trees. The west-east approach enters the north-west corner of the park at the former lodge, Mill Bridge Cottage (listed Grade II) and is sunk below the level of the embanked lawn in front of the mansion, before bearing down steep slopes to Poultry House Bridge (listed Grade II) which carries it across the Stock Beck. From here it passes behind Keepers Cottage (listed Grade II) and climbs north-east up the east side of the Stock Beck. It leaves the park through an entrance flanked by square pillars surmounted by pyramidal finials.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING Gisburne Hall (listed Grade I) is L-shaped in plan comprising an original early C18 main front range and a late C19 rear service range. The main range has two storeys and nine bays with the central three bays recessed and the main entrance in the centre bay. At the west is the stable block now linked to the main house by a three bay range. A new block erected as part of the hospital in 1995 stands to the west.
GARDENS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS To the north and east of the hall lie the steeply, wooded slopes of the Ribble and Stock Beck valleys. The east side of the latter within Temple Wood contains an old road visible as a double-banked hollow way and older mixed deciduous trees, some showing evidence of coppicing. The summerhouse (listed Grade II) formerly lay north of this but has been dismantled and removed leaving only its building platform in situ. To the north of this, Kirk Mile Wood now contains mostly coniferous trees and pheasant rearing enclosures. Immediately south of the hall there is a large irregular shaped, embanked lawn retaining slight earthwork remains of possible terraces.
PARK To the south and west of the hall lies the landscaped park incorporating the former deer park; the western boundary of the latter survives as an earthwork forming the eastern side of the original drive and the eastern boundary survives as the western side of the former A682, which itself partially remains as a prominent earthwork at the south-east corner of the park, alongside the present A682. This area also contains the rectilinear earthworks of former village closes, one of which is marked by a large veteran oak tree. Areas of denuded medieval ridge and furrow cultivation survive as earthworks within the boundary of the former deer park. Much of the park retains its mid to later C18 character with scattered parkland trees, including sycamore, oak and lime, some roughly lining the route of the original drive, others arranged in smalls groups. An area to the east of the Stock Beck and north of the railway line has lost its parkland character by improvement and the establishment of a large plantation. Running across the extended western part of the park, and through Ribblesdale Holiday Park, there is a lime avenue, double at its northern end (possibly influenced by the proposed design of Lord Robert Petre), and said to be aligned on Pendle Hill. The establishment of a holiday park has eroded the character of the parkland in this area. The south-east corner of the park is bisected by a railway constructed through a tunnel where the entrance drive crosses over it, and the entrance and exit arches (listed Grade II*) are Gothicised with turrets and battlements.
KITCHEN GARDEN A large C18 walled garden to the west of the hall, and extending west as far as the C19 stables, served as part of the formal gardens associated with the house (possibly influenced by the proposed designs of Lord Robert Petre). It is partially enclosed by high stone and red brick walls with limestone slab copings; the garden is divided into several compartments, which contain sheds, and two rendered gardener’s cottages. Much of the interior is used as a car park and large agricultural sheds occupy the western part.
A set of dog kennels (listed Grade II), in the form of a mock castle with two round towers, is situated above the River Ribble to the north-west of the walled garden. Views of these on the approach from the north and particularly from Gisburn Bridge are now obscured by tree growth.
OTHER LAND The Great Nursery on Coppy Hill is roughly rectangular with concave sides and a causeway entrance in the north-east corner. It is formed by a ha-ha comprising a flat-topped bank and a stone-revetted internal ditch. The enclosure contains conifer and deciduous trees. Before recent tree planting, there was a clear view of Coppy Hill from the hall and the Great Nursery may have served as an eye catcher.