A drama about the colourful life of a Victorian diarist, who was part of the Bradford mill-owning Lister family, has been filmed at Oakwell Hall.

The BBC production, The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, stars Maxine Peake, star of Criminal Justice and Shameless, in the title role.

The Listers, related to Samuel Cunliffe Lister, owner of Lister’s Mill in Manningham, lived at Shibden Hall in Halifax for more than 300 years from 1615.

Anne Lister took over the estate in 1826, following her brother’s death. She was an intrepid traveller, a businesswoman and prolific diarist.

The TV drama is based on Anne’s diaries; a detailed record of her life, travels, local and national events, and love affairs with various women.

Anne died while travelling in Russia and her friend, Ann Walker, took over the hall but was later sent to an asylum. John Lister, who inherited it in 1867, was the last of the family to own it.

A spokesman for Screen Yorkshire said filming has taken place at Shibden Hall but the lay-out made some internal scenes technically difficult, so Oakwell Hall in Birstall has been used as well.

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, made by Oxford Film and Television, is expected to be broadcast on BBC2 next spring. It will be accompanied by a documentary, presented by comic and broadcaster Sue Perkins.

The TV drama also stars Dean Lennox Lewis, who was also in Shameless, Christine Bottomley, who starred in BBC1 dramas Land Girls and Hope Springs, Spooks star Gemma Jones and Tina O’Brien, best known as Sarah Platt in Coronation Street.

Councillor Mary Harkin, Kirklees Council’s cabinet member for culture and leisure services, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity once again to present Oakwell Hall to a wide television audience, so quickly after it featured as Wuthering Heights on ITV this summer. We had so many positive comments from visitors after it was seen on television which really helped raise the profile of the hall.”

Oakwell Hall was closed to the public while filming took place last week but re-opened at the weekend, decorated in Christmas trimmings for a series of festive events called Deck the Halls.