Brontë sights

Today two newspapers suggest visits to a couple of Brontë-related places. First of all, Chesterfield Today points us towards North Lees Hall, one of the possible "originals" for Thornfield Hall, with anagram and all.

North Lees Hall is a Grade Two listed 16th century tower house which is owned by the Peak District National Park Authority. It is believed to have been Charlotte Bronte's inspiration for Mr Rochester's home, Thornfield House in Jane Eyre.

And then Leeds Today recommends a not so well-known Brontë sight in Guiseley, West Yorkshire:

St Oswald's, Guiseley , The Green. 01943 879787 . Walk through history discovering a secret garden and the Brontë and Longfellow connections of this Saxon church. Refreshments available. Sun 1400 .

The Parish of Guiseley with Esholt unveils this Brontë connection:

The entry in the register of Saint Oswald's Church for the year 1812 provides a famous literary link. That is the marriage of Patrick Bronte and Maria Branwell on Monday 29 December of that year. It reads

"29 December 1812
The Revd Patrick Bronte of the parish of Birstall and Minister of Hartsead-cum-Clifton
and Maria Branwell of this parish, Spinster
by William Morgan, Offcg. minister"

Patrick Bronte had been at Cambridge with John Fennell who was appointed first master of the school for the sons of Wesleyan ministers at Woodhouse Grove, opened in January 1812. At this time Patrick was curate at Hartsead, and had been appointed by his friend to the position of outside examiner. Patrick visiting the school as examiner met Maria Branwell of Penzance who was Fennell's niece, and fell in love with her. He also introduced Fennell's daughter Jane to his friend the Reverend William Morgan, who was minister of Bierley and they were also married on that day in Saint Oswald's Church, with Patrick Bronte conducting the ceremony.

All really nice, but couldn't they have spelt Anne's name properly on the plaque (see picture)? It's not so much to ask for.

And finally we have to report one of the weirdest comparisons so far (and we have a few) and, apparently, a new Brontë sight: Roy Keane, the former Irish international footballer and now manager, is just like Heathcliff.

I saw Roy Keane through new eyes the other day. My Five Live Breakfast Show colleague Shelagh Fogarty, a woman of unnervingly sound judgment, declared that Roy is hot.
"You what?"
"Hot."
Whatever butters your parsnips, but I'd just never put him in the totty stakes before.
"I bet yes means yes and no means no with him," said Shelagh.
"Maybe," I said.
I kind of sort of get it. He's Brontean. He is Heathcliff, right? Brooding, simmering, obsessive, edgy, passionate. Even other-worldly.

Categories: In_the_News, Brontëana, Weirdo