Six members of our group set out to visit the newly opened Brontë Birthplace in Thornton, Bradford. Before arriving for our guided tour, at the kind suggestion of our friend and member Janet, we stopped off at two other nearby significant buildings in the story of the literary sisters’ family. First we stood outside the first home of their parents, ‘Clough House’ at Hightown within the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire. We viewed the plaque stating that the two oldest daughters, Maria and Elizabeth, were born whilst the couple lived there after their marriage in 1812.
Next, we visited the nearby St Peter’s parish church at Hartshead where Patrick Brontë served as assistant curate 1811-1815.
Lastly, we arrived in Thornton for our tour of the birthplace. Opened in the spring of this year and benefiting from a financial grant from Bradford City of Culture 2025, the house has parlours, a scullery, a servants’ bedroom and nursery, bedrooms available for overnight stays and a small cafe and gift shop. Furnished in the style of the period, the house also boasts some original features offering the chance to stand in the footsteps of the family.
We all enjoyed a very pleasant and informative afternoon which included a scenic route through the countryside which once was familiar to the sisters in their early life before moving to the parsonage at Haworth. Our thanks to Janet for her organisation, research and local knowledge, all of which enhanced the day.