April 2016 sees the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charlotte Brontë, one of the greatest Victorian novelists. Her masterpiece, Jane Eyre (quoted above), has been translated into dozens of languages, reprinted hundreds of times and has sold many thousands of copies around the world. It has inspired prequels and sequels, films, plays, ballets, numerous television adaptations and much, much more…

Charlotte Brontë © The Brontë Society

Charlotte Brontë grew up in the small West Yorkshire town of Haworth, on the edge of the rugged Pennine moors of northern England which so inspired her, and her equally famous literary sisters, Emily and Anne. Their isolated and sheltered upbringing stimulated the Brontë sisters’ imagination and they created their own fantasy world, writing poems and stories from a very young age.

And there is a personal connection too for Janet Redler Travel & Tourism. Partner Nick Bardsley comes from a long line of Church of England clergy. Back in the mid 19th Century, a young Bardsley curate living nearby used to visit the Brontë Parsonage in Howarth. Apparently he found the three sisters rather daunting... no surprises there!

Despite the tourist buzz in Haworth these days, it is still possible to capture a flavour of life in 19th Century England, especially if you arrive by steam train on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and wander up the steep, cobbled Main Street to the Brontë Parsonage Museum at the top of the hill. As well as documenting the life of Charlotte and her three sisters, the Museum provides a fascinating snapshot of life in the 1800s.

The Brontë Parsonage Museum © The Brontë Society

The life of Charlotte and her sisters, first recorded by another leading Victorian writer Elizabeth Gaskell, was famously tragic. Although she was the eldest of six children, Charlotte outlived all of her siblings, dying herself at the still young age of 38. Charlotte is buried with her family in the Brontë family vault, in the Church of St Michael and All Angels in Haworth, which is marked with a plaque in the Brontë Memorial Chapel there.

For the more adventurous, a visit to Haworth would not be complete without a ramble on the wild and untamed moors so beloved of Charlotte and her sisters, and it is still possible to visit some of the landmarks they knew so well. The 43 mile long Brontë Way takes in many of the most famous sites.

“2016 is the perfect opportunity to remember Charlotte Brontë, whose classic novels, such as Jane Eyre and Villette, are much loved around the world,” said Janet Redler, Chief Executive of Janet Redler Travel & Tourism. “It is an unmissable experience for anyone interested in English literature to visit Haworth in Yorkshire and to find out about the life of one of our greatest writers, who gained recognition for her work against the odds.”

The Brontë Parsonage Museum is hosting a special bicentenary exhibition about Charlotte Brontë in 2016.

If you would like to include a trip to Haworth in your tour of England and follow in the footsteps of Charlotte Brontë, please do contact us.