Top Withens as an Icon

Probably you have read about the Icons project started by the British government trying to find the most recognizable English icons.

Some people argue there is no such thing as a shared English culture. They say all those invasions by the Normans and Romans simply left us with a ‘hotch potch’ of other people’s cultures. Paradoxically, this melting pot is what makes England unique. And today’s multicultural communities make this mix even more vibrant and interesting.

It seems that nobody has nominated the Brontë sisters or any of the novels as a possible Icon. Nevertheless Brontë enthusiasts are not entirely without representation. Top Withens has been nominated.

Local legend has it that the situation of the farmhouse called Top Withens was Emily Brontë’s inspiration, but now all that is left of that building is a ruin. The position is undeniably impressive, standing as it does in splendid isolation on a vast windswept moor-top above the hamlet of Stanbury, near Haworth where the Brontë family grew up. It is a place for the soul to run wild and free, releasing the rather less restrained side of the English character.

The votes are not on our side: 77 % against 23 %. So, I don't know what are you waiting for !

The picture is from Billy Brandt, you can see more of his work in this old post.

Categories: Brontëana, Websites