Bronte Country

Time 2020-09-24 05:07:20

Web Name: Bronte Country

WebSite: http://www.bronte-country.com

ID:57726

Keywords:

Bronte,Country,

Description:

Welcome to Bronte Country, an area which straddles the West Yorkshire and East Lancashire Pennines in the North of England. A windswept land of heather and wild moors, it is hardly surprising that this region became the inspiration for the classic works of the Bronte sisters,Charlotte, Emily and Anne.Geographically, Bronte Country consists of the Pennine hills immediately to the west of, but also including, the Bradford Leedsconurbation of West Yorkshire,as well asKirkleesCalderdale. Unlike the pastural limestone valleys of the Yorkshire Dales which begin further to the north, the geology in Bronte Country is predominantly of Millstone Grit, a dark sandstone which lends the crags and scenery here an air of bleakness and desolation. Small wonder then, that this landscape fuelled the imagination of the Bronte sisters in writing theirclassic novels - including "Wuthering Heights" (which was reputedly inspired by the isolated moorland location of Top Withens)"Jane Eyre", Top Withens and many of the other Bronte associated locations lie within easy reach of the village of Haworth, where the Bronte family lived at theHaworth parsonage(now the world famousBronte Parsonage Museum),and where they wrote most of their famous works(including "Wuthering Heights""Jane Eyre", etc).Other Bronte related attractions in the heart of Bronte Country include the Bronte Birthplace Thornton on the outskirts ofBradford (where Charlotte, Patrick Branwell, Emily and Anne were born while their father was parson at Thornton church),Ponden Hall near Haworth("Thrushcross Grange" in "Wuthering Heights")Oakwell Hall Red House Kirklees ("Fieldhead" and "Briarmains" respectively in Charlotte Bronte's "Shirley").Slightly further afield in what is known as thePendle Witch Country of East Lancashire there isWycoller(believed to be the location for Ferndean Manor in "Jane Eyre"), Gawthorpe HallBurnley, where Charlotte Bronte was a regular visitor.Outside of Bronte Country but on edge of theYorkshire Dales some forty or so miles to the north is the village of Cowan Bridge (near Ingletonin the Yorkshire Dales) where the local school provided the inspiration for Lowood School in "Jane Eyre",while the country house atNorton Conyers(nearRiponin theVale of York / Vale of Mowbray)is believed to be the setting for Thornfield Hall in the same novel.[N.B. Also in theYorkshire Dalesbut closer nearby is the popular beauty spot ofBolton Abbey- which was visited by the Bronte family as aspecial excursionin 1833.]Further afield againAnne Bronte's grave can be found at St. Mary's ChurchScarborough- a popular resort on the Yorkshire Coast and near to theNorth York Moors to the east. [N.B. There are also Bronte connections with theEnglish Lake Districtas Branwell Bronte held a tutoring job inBroughton in Furnessand sketched the churchduring his stay there in 1840.Charlotte Bronte also stayed in the English Lake Districtsome ten years later.]Back in theBronte Country areaitself, attractions which are not directly associated with the Brontes(but which are well worth a visit in their own right) include the industrial village ofSaltaireBradford(built by Sir Titus Salt in the mid nineteenth century, and now a UNESCO designatedWorld Heritage Centre),National Media MuseumBradford,Keighley Bus MuseumKeighley,and theKeighley and Worth Valley Railway(which runs from the village ofOxenhopethroughHaworthOakworthto the town ofKeighleyin theAire Valley).The Bronte Country area has other literary and cultural associations: For instance the poetTed Hugheswas born inMytholmroydnear Hebden Bridge(his wifeSylvia Plathbeing buried in nearbyHeptonstall),while the playwright J.B. Priestley,the composer Delius,the novelist John Braineand the artist David Hockney(like theBronte sistersthemselves)were all born within the district of the city ofBradford(which as such makes a fitting location for the newBradford Literature Festival).Pennine Way long distance footpath passes through Bronte Country,as does the Bronte Way, the Bradford Millennium Footpath and the Great Northern Railway Trail.As such the area is popular for walkingcyclingin particular.To access a full list of places to visit and practical information about Bronte Country, (including information for disabled visitors)please take a look around this website using the above menu, by following links and/or using the Google custom search box given below:

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Information about Bronte Country, an area spanning the West Yorkshire and East Lancashire Pennines - where the Brontes lived and wrote their famous novels

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