Gisburn is first named in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it takes the form Ghiseburne. The name is next attested in the twelfth century, as Giselburn. The name is thus thought to originate in the reconstructedOld English word *gysel ('gushing') and the common Old English word burna ('stream'). It is possible, however, that the first element was originally an Old English personal name *Gysla. Thus the name once meant either 'gushing stream' or 'Gysla's stream'.[3]
The former spelling of Gisburne was phased out after the introduction of railways in the parish. Gisburn railway station was closed under the Beeching Axe in 1962. Gisburne and similar spellings were also sometimes used for Guisborough, also in Yorkshire (now in North Yorkshire), leading to Gisburn often being referred to as "Gisburn in Craven".
Geography
Gisburn lies within a rural area, surrounded by hilly and relatively unpopulated areas, with Bowland Forest to the west, Pendle Hill to the south, and the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines not far to the north and east. The relatively flat Ribble valley runs through the parish with the A59 running parallel.
History
Gisburn's ancient parish, broken into its modern civil parishes, is shown here with purple boundaries, with Gisburn civil parish shaded blue. This map shows how Gisburn forms part of the Yorkshire territory which has been administered as part of Lancashire. Lancashire's ancient boundaries are in red, and administrative boundaries are in green.
The layout of this linear village, with properties facing the main street and tenement plots running down to a back lane, is common of many established in the tenth century.[5]
In 1612 a village resident, Jennet Preston, was tried at the Lancashire witch trials, accused of causing the death of Thomas Lister by witchcraft. Her trial took place in York as the village then lay within Yorkshire. Preston was found guilty and was hanged at York Knavesmire.
Markets were held on Main Street until 1911, when the livestock market moved to its present site at the western end of the village next to the former railway station.[5]
The civil parish previously had a detached area on the western side of Sawley, with a larger part of that parish on the southern side of Gisburn. In 1938 these areas were joined with the respective parishes.[9]
Along with Rimington, Middop, Gisburn Forest, Paythorne, Newsholme and Horton, the parish forms the Gisburn, Rimington ward of Ribble Valley Borough Council.
[11][12] The ward had a population of 1287 in 2001,[13] rising to 1405 in 2011.[14] The ward elects a single councillor, who currently is Richard Sherras of the Conservative Party.[15]
To the north of the village, between it and the River Ribble is a 68 hectares (168 acres) 18th-century former deer park and country house, today used as a private hospital, equestrian centre and the Ribblesdale Holiday Park.
The present Grade I listed house, was originally constructed between 1727 and 1736 by Thomas Lister and has been since extended. The Lister family produced a number of Members of Parliament for Clitheroe and later Barons Ribblesdale, and had been previously based at Arnoldsbiggin (Westby Hall). Although the manorof Gisburne was first acquired by the Lister's in 1614, the family only moved to this site, then called Lower Hall, in 1706. In the mid-18th century, the park was roamed by wild white cattle and deer, and the estate continues outside it, with an unusual tree nursery enclosure known as the ‘Great Nursery' situated on Coppy Hill to the west. The park is listed in Register of Historic Parks and Gardens and contains a number of notable buildings including the gate lodges at the principal entrance from the village which are listed Grade II*.[16]
Church of St Mary the Virgin
The Church of St Mary the Virgin
In the graveyard lies buried one of England's greatest writers of hymn tunes, Francis Duckworth (1862–1941). His most famous tune is "Rimington", to which several hymns including Jesu Shall Reign Where'er the Sun may be sung. The opening lines of the tune are inscribed on his gravestone.[17]
The church is a Grade II* listed building. The south porch has a wide outer entrance with moulded round arch and moulded imposts. The inner door, probably C13th, has a pointed arch with two orders of sunk quadrant moulding. The porch roof has two short king posts rising from collars.[18]
In May 2015 it was announced that a rare King James Version of the Bible, printed in 1611, had been found at the church.[19]
Notable people
Richard Wright (1877–1942), cricketer and educator, was born in Gisburn
