Baines, Edward. Baines's Yorkshire. New York: A. M. Kelley, 1969.

The definitive reference work on the Ridings of Yorkshire. This two-volume edition is a reprint of the original, published in 1823. The work serves as a history, description, catalog, directory and gazateer of the county prior to the arrival of the Brontës on the literary scene. The first volume is devoted to the West Riding, where Haworth is located. An indespensible work to anyone wishing to research the history of northern England.

Bentley, Phyllis. The Brontës and Their World. New York: Viking, 1969.

Collection of illustrations and photographs of importan people and places in the Brontës' lives, written by a Brontë enthusiast.

Brontë Parsonage Museum. The Brontë Parsonage Museum. 2001. <http://www.bronte.org.uk/museum/museum.asp>

Headquarters of the Brontë Society, the English-speaking world's oldest literary society, housed in the home in which the Brontës lived most of their lives. The society was formed in Haworth in 1893, and they purchased the parsonage in 1928. Since that time, the parsonage has been set up as a museum to the Brontës, housing an ever-growing collection of their personal effects. The museum has periodic events and exhibits highlighting various aspects of Brontë studies. The website has a virtual tour of the home and links to related websites with more information about the Brontës.

Campbell, Marie. Stange World of the Brontës. Wilmslow, UK: Sigma Press, 2001.

Very unusual recounting of local folklore and legend by a local historian, concentrating on the area around Haworth and Keighley, Yorkshire. The book is full of stories about the Brontës which cannot be found elsewhere, and provides a very good example of the perpetuation of the "Brontë myth" described by Lucasta Miller in her full-length work on the subject.

Clarke, William. The Brontës Were Here: Reflections on the Family's Life and Travels. Manchester: Morten, 1977.

A geographical biography which examines each of the places where the Brontës lived and visited, including the boarding schools they attended, the homes where they served as governesses and the school which Charlotte and Emily attended in Brussels for a short time. The effect of these locales on the fiction is examined, with speculation as to the originals of some of the settings and plot devices in the novels.

Eagle Multimedia. Brontë Country. 2002. <http://www.bronte-country.com/>

Website devoted primarily to description and tourism of the area around Haworth and Keighley, Yorkshire. The site is thoroughly well presented and has links to photographs and information about places where the Brontës lived and worked, and presumed originals of places mentioned in their novels.

Giles, Colum. Yorkshire Textile Mills: The Buildings of the Yorkshire Textile Industry, 1770-1930. London: HMSO, 1992.

Expansive history and descriptive catalog of Yorkshire's most traditionally important industry. Of interest to anyone wishing for more background on the historical setting of Charlotte's novel Shirley.

Hey, David. Yorkshire From AD 1000. London: Longman, 1986.

Recent localized history of Yorkshire, from its medieval origins. Including pictures and maps, and a cumulative bibliography of other sources about the region.

Kellett, Jocelyn. Haworth Parsonage: The Home of the Brontës. Haworth, UK: The Brontë Society, 1977.

A detailed room-by-room description of the famous parsonage where the Brontës were raised and where, today, the Brontë Society is based. Includes architectural plans for the home, early drawings and photos, photographs of various rooms and an inventory of the Brontës' possessions now housed there.

Pollard, Arthur. The Landscape of the Brontës. London: Michael Joseph, 1988.

A book about the landscape of West Yorkshire, with numerous illustrations of pastoral settings linked to passages from the novels and poetry.

Raymond, Ernest. In the Steps of the Brontës. London: Rich and Cowan, 1948.

Examination of place and setting in the lives and works of the Brontës. The book is beautifully illustrated with bookplate drawings by the author.

Ruijssenaars, Eric. Charlotte Brontë's Promised Land. Haworth, UK: The Brontë Society, 2000.

A unique work commissioned by the Brontë Society, focusing on Brussels and its effect on Emily and Charlotte. Includes photographs and illustrations of key locales and individuals in Brussels associated with the Emily and Charlotte's time there, including the Pensionate Heger, where they attended school.

Back to Main Page