Off t’ Pennines and Banagher wi’ the Brontës

Let's begin with this video presented last year that  @JoanneWilcock2 has shared with us. The film was shown at the That Beats Banagher festive and features how Branwell Brontë's Pillar Portrait was discovered atop Arthur Bell Nicholl's wardrobe, eight years after his passing. The creation of a film on this subject was undertaken by Dr Maebh O’Regan, featuring local actors from Banagher who portrayed the roles of Mary Anne Nicholls and her servants. The filming took place in Arthur's former bedroom at Hill House in Banagher. Additionally, Dr O'Regan had a conversation with Dr Sarah Moulden, the Curator of 19th Century Collections at the National Portrait Gallery, who discussed the portrait showcased in the film:

Northern Life Magazine rambles around with some of their favourite northern writers:

Off t’ Pennines wi’ the Brontës

For fans of the Brontës, nowhere on earth (not even Lancashire), can quite compare to their literary location of the village of Haworth, West Yorkshire. The Brontë family moved here in 1820 when Patrick Brontë, the sisters’ father, got a job as the local vicar. Visit Thornton village, which is the birthplace of the sisters and their brother Branwell; they were born here while their father was the Parson at Thornton Church before moving to Haworth.

Stanbury is a little village near Haworth; Ponden Hall was a 17th Century farmhouse where the Bronte children played and is said to have inspired the farmhouse in Wuthering Heights as well as ‘Thrushcross Grange’ and ‘Wildfell Hall’. From Stanbury, you can walk to the ‘Bronte Waterfall’ and Top Withens. Top Withens on the Moors is the location where Wuthering Heights is set and is a great walking location and perfect for enjoying the beautiful scenery on the Pennine Moors. It’s an absolute must-see for any Wuthering Heights fans! This rugged landscape inspired the book’s setting; you can take a walk across the moors, which is best on a cloudy and windswept day when the landscapes really come to life to recreate the book’s haunting atmosphere. (Laura Storey & Sophia Smith)

LitHub talks about being a writer and discusses Augusto Monterroso's Leopoldo (Sus Trabajos):

When we “find” him, Monterroso writes, Leopoldo has changed his mind. When this story begins, the character has shifted his views on what a masterpiece should be. He now is an advocate for brevity. This is another trait that makes Leopoldo a writer. We must assume that during these years, he not only reads about dogs, but he keeps reading literature and about literature and at some point, opts for synthesis. It’s like he goes from Charlotte Brontë to Samantha Schweblin. (Efrén Ordóñez Garza)

Asianet's Newsable and classics that still 'enchant' readers:

 4. 'Jane Eyre' by Charlotte Brontë

First published in 1847 under the pen name "Currer Bell," "Jane Eyre" is a Gothic romance novel that tells the story of Jane, an orphaned governess, and her tumultuous journey through life. Brontë's portrayal of a strong-willed and independent female protagonist, along with her exploration of gender roles and social class, makes this novel a pioneering work of feminist literature.

The poet Jotamario Arbeláez reminisces about his childhood in El País (Colombia): 

Como mi abuela era analfabeta mas no iletrada, y me pagaba un centavo por cada hoja que le leyera antes de dormirnos, me aprovisioné de los tomos más copiosos de la literatura, como Los miserables, de Víctor Hugo, Cumbres Borrascosas de Emily Bronté y las aventuras folletinescas de los dos Alejandro Dumas, con lo que obtuve para comprar esclava de plata y patines con freno. (Translation)

Commenti Memorabili (Italy) repeats one of those stories basically fake but with some truth buried in there. Emily Brontë's sleeping habits:

Anche la scrittrice e poetessa Emily Brontë, famosa per Cime tempestose, era soggetta a crisi di insonnia. Quando non riusciva ad addormentarsi, la Brontë decise di stancarsi con la forza. Faceva dei giri intorno al tavolo della sala da pranzo finché non si esauriva e non era pronta ad addormentarsi. (Translation)

The Yorkshire Post publishes some news "about how the owners of a historic Dales estate have been refused permission to convert a 17th-century barn because the access required for emergency vehicles would have a damaging impact on the landscape". But what we are interested in is this little tidbit:

The land was originally farmed by the monks of Fountains Abbey, before passing to the Tennant family, who held the estate for centuries until 1911, when Bertram Roberts purchased it. Bertram’s father was Bradford wool baron Sir James Roberts, who bought Salts Mill in Saltaire from the Salt family [and donated Brontë Parsonage in Haworth to the nation]. Jamie Roberts is Sir James’ great-grandson. (Grace Newton)

The Eyre Guide reviews the novel Wild, Beautiful, and Free by Sophronia Scott.