The location manager and a computer graphics designer from Warner Brothers toured the 17th Century hall and grounds in May.

They were looking at Gawthorpe as a possible location for scenes in "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" but chose not to use the venue as it is open to the public as this could affect the logistics of filming.

They were shown around the hall by assistant keeper Mrs Rachel Pollitt, who was sworn to secrecy until a decision was made. "We get quite a lot of people ringing up about using the hall for filming but when they said it was for Harry Potter I was really excited. This is obviously the biggest one we've had."

Gawthorpe Hall was one of six locations considered for the scenes, along with Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire.

Television bosses from ITV also recently visited the grounds to look at the possibility of filming there for a new adaptation of "Wuthering Heights" but Mrs Pollitt said no decision had yet been made.

"Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince," based on the sixth book in the series by J.K. Rowling, is due for release later this year. "I was very surprised to get the call from Warner Brothers. If they had chosen to film at Gawthorpe it would have been fantastic," said Mrs Pollitt.