If you're looking to acquire an English house with literary connections, Ponden Hall, the 17th century property that is said to have inspired Wuthering Heights, is for sale. Located in the wild and windy moors just outside Stanbury near Haworth in West Yorkshire, the Brontë sisters made regular visits to the historic house in the 19th century, and it is now a popular guesthouse.
This 5000-square-foot detached property sits in extensive grounds of approximately four acres offering panoramic views over Ponden Reservoir and the open countryside. The east end of the property dates back to 1541 and the main house was built in 1634. The former free-standing Peat Loft at the west end of the house dates back to 1680, and it was joined to the main house in the major renovation of 1801.
Ponden Hall's library became a regular and significant resource for the Brontë sisters, their brother Branwell and father Patrick. The house itself is widely accepted to be the inspiration for the interiors of both Emily Brontë's book, Wuthering Heights, and Anne Brontë's novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. It has nine bedrooms and has been lovingly renovated over 20 years by its present owners, who run it as a bed and breakfast.
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The current main guest bedroom houses a tiny single-paned window. This is said to be the window that inspired Emily Brontë's story of Cathy's ghost in Wuthering Heights, clawing at the glass, desperate to get in to where the novel's narrator Lockwood was sleeping. The Peat Loft is also believed to be the place in which Anne, Emily and Branwell took shelter in 1824, during a cataclysmic mudslide caused by a thunderstorm after days of rain, when they had been walking on the moor with their servant, Sarah Garrs.
The new buyer can enjoy relaxing in the formal walled gardens, which have a variety of beautiful seating areas, mature trees and shrubs. There is also a separate large walled garden with lawn and borders, accessed from the lane, and a private courtyard area that can be accessed from the kitchen. The Brontë Parsonage Museum is also located in the nearby village of Haworth and it draws literary fans to the area.
Ponden Hall is for sale for £1m ($1.28m) and further information is available here and here.
This article was first published on March 11, 2019 and updated on October 7, 2020.
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