Bookish Places: The Brontes
Background
The Bronte sisters have captured the imagination of thousands of readers worldwide who have become fascinated with their life in the parsonage in Haworth.
As the children of an impoverished vicar, the Bronte sisters knew they had to find the means to support themselves financially so they sought positions as governesses. Their real passion though was for their writing and they began publishing their poems under the names Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell.
There are many places you can walk in the footsteps of the Bronte family which attract thousands of tourists from around the world every year.
Let’s take a look!
The Bronte Parsonage
The Bronte Home
The Bronte Parsonage is the most famous place associated with the Bronte sisters and where they wrote their novels. The extension on the northern end was not there during their lifetime.
Patrick Bronte brought his family to Haworth in 1820 and the parsonage remained his home until his death in 1861. It was sold by the Church in 1928 and was bought by Sir James Roberts, a wealthy merchant and member of the Bronte Society. He gave the deeds to the society and it now houses a vast collection of personal possessions, manuscripts, letters and first editions of the novels that were written there.
Haworth
The Bronte Village
Haworth is the village in West Yorkshire where The Bronte Parsonage Museum is situated and it welcomes thousands of Bronte enthusiasts from around the world every year.
Haworth has a famous steeply cobbled Main Street with its quaint buildings. As well as the parsonage, there are many other places associated with the Brontes still standing.
The surrounding area is also dotted with famous landmarks that inspired the Bronte novels, as well as places that are named after them.
Haworth Parish Church
St Michael and All Angels’ Church
St Michael and All Angels’ Church is the parish church in Haworth, Yorkshire. The church was rebuilt in 1879 as the previous one was deemed unsafe and unsanitary due to contamination from the nearby cemetery.
Patrick Bronte brought his family to live in the parsonage in 1820 and was the perpetual curate for 41 years. Patrick outlived his entire family and they are all interred in the family tomb with the exception of Anne.
The Bronte Memorial Chapel was built in 1963 and is positioned near where the family pew was situated. The communion table, chandelier and the Bronte memorial tablet are from the old church.
Anne Bronte Grave
St Mary’s, Scarborough
Anne Bronte died in Scarborough on 28 May 1849 and was buried in St Mary’s Church graveyard at the northern end which over looks the sea.
The youngest of the three surviving Bronte sisters, Anne had fallen in love with Scarborough after previous visits. When she realised she was dying, Anne begged to be taken back there one last time. She died three days after arriving.
The original headstone has become badly eroded over the years so the Bronte Society arranged for a new plaque to be placed in front in 2013. The new plaque also corrects Anne’s age which had been recorded as 28 instead of 29.
The Old Apothecary
The Cabinet of Curiosities
The Cabinet of Curiosities is a family business established in the old apothecary shop that served the people of Haworth during the time of the Brontes. The shop has been restored to its former Victorian appearance and sells various gifts.
Once owned by Robert Lambert, the old apothecary sold bottles of laudanum, a tincture of opium, which was said to cure a number of maladies. However, laudanum also had narcotics properties and was highly addictive.
The Bronte sisters would learn about the destructive dark side of laudanum addiction from their brother who used it to forget his troubles.
The Black Bull Inn
Patronised by Branwell
The Black Bull Inn has been a feature in Haworth since the 16th century but has gained notoriety as part of the Bronte story as it was a place frequented by Branwell Bronte.
The story goes that Branwell would spent many hours at the inn drinking heavily until his sisters would send someone to fetch him home. Branwell would escape out the back of the kitchens and return to the parsonage to avoid being caught there.
Today, the bar and restaurant thrive as part of the Bronte tourist trade. They also have four guest rooms that have been refurbished in the rural tradition.
The Old Post Office
The Manuscripts Posted
The Old Post Office in Haworth was frequented by the entire Bronte family. however it is more famous as being the place where the Bronte sisters posted their manuscript to publishers.
Branwell Brontes was a close friend of the postmaster John Hartley and would often spend the night in the back room sleeping of his drunken stupor. The back room had a clear view of the parsonage and Branwell would know it was safe to come home once his sister Emily put a candle in the window indicating their father had gone to bed.
The post office is now an eating and drinking establishment, however the old Victorian counter, complete with cash drawer, has been retained.
The Old School Room
Est. by Patrick Bronte
Patrick Bronte was passionate about educational reform and he finally managed to establish a school in Haworth in 1831 with the help of the National School Society.
The school was initially only open on a Sunday but Patrick applied for another grant to allow it to be opened on weekdays from 1844. All of the Brontes taught at the school at one point and Charlotte held her wedding reception in the new extension in 1854.
Today, The Old School Room is run by a charity who have raised funds to preserve the building and make it available for community use.
Clough House
Hartshead, West Yorkshire
After their marriage in 1812, Patrick and Maria Bronte moved into Clough House, situated on the hill above Hartshead, where Patrick had been appointed minister of the parish church in 1811.
The couple’s eldest daughters Maria and Elizabeth, were born in this house. The family moved to Thornton in 1815 where Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell would be born.
A plaque above the front door commemorates Patrick and Maria’s time at the house with their daughters.
Bronte Birthplace
Thornton, Bradford
After they left Clough House, Patrick and Maria lived on Market Street, Thornton, where their youngest four children, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne, were born.
The little house has been through several incarnations in the past, however it was purchased by author Barbara Whitehead with the intent of establishing a Bronte museum before she had to sell in 2007.
The property has now been taken over by Brontë Birthplace Limited, a community benefit society, who are aiming to restore the house into a social and educational space.
