Quite the year for the Brontë Birthplace. The Telegraph and Argus looks back on it: In May 2025, the Brontë Birthplace in Thornton reopened following a £650,000 restoration, transforming the historic building into a visitor, literary and education centre. As of June 2026 Queen Camilla stands as the centre's Royal Patron. Anna Gibson, general manager of the Brontë Birthplace, said: "Until recently, the Brontë legacy and those crucial first years of life were unknown to most of the world. "Preserving any tangible part of the incredible history of the Brontë sisters is of deep emotional, cultural and historical significance." She also highlighted the importance of the site in understanding the early lives of the Brontë sisters and the history of Thornton. Ms Gibson said: "The project has shone a light not only on the sisters' early years but also the wider and fascinating history of Thornton as a village." Despite its significance, Thornton is often overshadowed by Haworth, the Brontës’ later home. Ms Gibson said: "In almost all of the Brontë biographies, Thornton is reduced to a stop on the map to Haworth. "The house is called rundown and unglamorous and the landscape bleak and wild. "However, to the few 'in the know' and to the people of Thornton, the Birthplace has always held a special significance and has been a fixture of Market Street." The birthplace has now become a hub for cultural activities, including a monthly speaker programme that attracts guests from across the UK and beyond. Ms Gibson said: "The talks have proved popular, giving voice to both local and international speakers on a huge range of topics." The site has also seen increased visitor numbers thanks to renewed interest in the Brontës, fuelled in part by major screen adaptations. Emerald Fennel's Wuthering Heights premiered in February of this year, remarking on the event, Ms Gibson said: "We experienced a huge uptick of visitors. "It was our busiest ever month for overnight stays and one week we had all rooms occupied nearly every night." She said: "It was brilliant in that it brought in a whole new generation of Brontë fans and sparked such interesting and engaged conversations over a book published nearly 200 years ago." Ms Gibson said: "The entire West Yorkshire area has seen a massive uptick in interest, international press coverage and visitors in the last year." (Amelia Short)
Publishers' Weekly features Jasper Fforde's forthcoming novel, Dark Reading Matter, the final installment of the Thursday Next series. Fforde used the narrative dare technique to write his 2001 debut novel, The Eyre Affair, a mind-bending adventure set in an alternate version of England, about Thursday Next, a crime-solving literary detective who must rescue Jane Eyre from a villain who has kidnapped her from the pages of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel. The book launched Fforde’s bestselling Thursday Next series, which will come to an end this fall after 25 years. “This is the last hurrah,” Fforde says. “The Thursday Next series is a celebration of reading, writing, and novels. I think novels are the greatest art form known to humankind.” (Elaine Szewczyk)
National Post asks Canadian librarian Allison Hall-Murphy about the books that changed her life and one of them is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847) Often cited as an inspiration for Gothic Romance, this book is so much more. Yes, Jane Eyre does contain certain gothic elements (an old gloomy estate full of secrets, a broody handsome love interest, also full of secrets) but the strength of the novel is in singular, unforgettable character of Jane herself. Jane’s narration of her own growth from poor, unloved orphan to independent woman feels surprisingly modern. As a child she lashes out in anger at her mistreatment, as a youth she is determined to stand on her own two feet and as an adult she refuses to accept anything but full and equal love. Jane’s passion, integrity and insistence on being treated with dignity make her a very relatable and recognizable character almost two hundred years after Jane Eyre’s first publication in 1847.
Vogue has selected 'The Best Albums of 2026—So Far' and one of them is Charli xcx, Wuthering Heights Love or hate Emerald Fennell’s 2026 rendition of Wuthering Heights, one thing is certain—Charli xcx totally gets Emily Brontë’s famed gothic novel. Dare I say, it’s the best interpretation since Kate Bush’s 1978 song of the same name. Somehow, she managed to blend the alt-cyber-pop sound we’ve come to love the Brit icon for with the book’s range of then-scandalous themes. I have never—and will never—consider the gothic novel a romance (not sorry!), so much as a cautionary tale of obsession, enmeshment, and abusive cycles. Charli nails just that with viral songs like “House” (which I’d say is a spot-on song retelling of Isabella’s bait-and-switch entrapment into a marriage with Heathcliff) to upbeat bangers like “Dying for You” (remember when, in the book, Heathcliff dug up Cathy’s grave to look at her? Yikes!). Another standout, “Seeing Things,” captures the element of the spectral and ghost stories that was a key theme of the book and mostly left out of the movie. (Conçetta Ciarlo)
La Vanguardia (Spain) has an article on literary tourism. Apparently people are discovering it is a thing now. Más de uno decidió el pasado mes de febrero que este verano lo pasaría en los aislados y sombríos páramos de Yorkshire, en el norte de Inglaterra. No por refugiarse en un lugar de temperaturas menos sofocantes, sino por haber quedado anonadados tras ver a Margot Robbie y Jacob Elordi actuar en esos escenarios en la última adaptación audiovisual de Cumbres borrascosas , dirigida por Emerald Fennell. El filme desató la Brontëmanía y provocó, por un lado, que las ventas de la novela se dispararan un 504% en tan solo dos días, según datos aportados por Amazon; y, por otro, que hoteles y apartamentos turísticos de la zona notaran un notable incremento de ocupación. Mia Ferullo, responsable de la participación digital del Brontë Parsonage Museum, que se encuentra en Haworth (Inglaterra) y que conserva la antigua casa familiar así como la mayor colección mundial de manuscritos de las hermanas Emily, Charlotte y Anne, admite a La Vanguardia que existe “un auge renovado” por la vida y obra de este trío literario. Pone, además, sobre la mesa un término: las readaways , o, lo que es lo mismo, las escapadas vacacionales a las que uno llega tras leer un libro y donde muchas veces la actividad principal, además de desconectar, es leer. Una tendencia que va a más, según apunta un informe publicado a principios de verano por la plataforma de búsqueda de vuelos Skyscanner , donde se revela que el 49 % de las personas que ha reservado un viaje a lo largo de este año han considerado en algún momento hacerlo a raíz de un libro. El estudio desvela también que las reservas de hotel que utilizan el filtro “biblioteca” en su web han aumentado un 70% a nivel mundial. (Lara Gómez Ruiz) (Translation)
AnneBrontë.org shares a new video exploring how the Brontës kept cool during heatwaves.
A couple of alerts for today, August 15. In Haworth and in Tullamore, Ireland:
Sat 15 August. Times: 11am - 1pm and 2 - 4pm Servant's Room, Brontë Parsonage Museum
Lacemaker Catherine Lillie will be in the Museum giving a demonstration of bobbin lacemaking. Catherine is currently a trustee for Heritage Crafts. Through her work, she aims to revive the endangered craft of bobbin lacemaking through participation and teaching.
Presented by Michael & Christine O'Dowd Saturday, August 15, at 2.30pm Offaly History Centre, Bury Quay, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland (part of County Offaly's programme for National Heritage Week 2026)
Brontës: Love and Honour is a cycle of ten studio-recorded songs composed by Michael O'Dowd, with his wife Christine, who perform the piece together. The songs are woven together with spoken dialogue and illustrations, and set to instrumental and choral accompaniment, tracing episodes from the family's life. The performance runs for about an hour. The production had its premiere in Banagher in April, timed to Charlotte Brontë's birthday, and the Banagher connection is central to its genesis: O'Dowd's interest in the family developed out of a non-fiction book he completed in 2019 on the Irish honeymoon of Charlotte Brontë and Arthur Bell Nicholls, Charlotte Brontë, An Irish Odyssey.
Offaly Independent reports that the Brontë family will be celebrated during Heritage Week tomorrow. A special musical event celebrating the famous Brontë family of Yorkshire and their connection with Banagher, County Offaly, will take place in the Offaly History Centre, Tullamore, on Saturday, August 15, at 2.30pm Offaly Historical Society and the Banagher Brontë Group are collaborating on the musical 'Brontës: Love and Honour', which is one of a number of events taking place in the county to mark Heritage Week. This melodic cycle of ten studio-recorded songs was written by the well known composer Michael O'Dowd and his wife Christine. The cycle relates the joys and sorrows of the family in music and lyrics with linking dialogue and illustrations to provide ambience and clarity. Each song has inspiring instrumental and choral accompaniment. This will be a truly delightful and enchanting experience for all attending lasting for about one hour. Admission is free and a richly illustrated deluxe souvenir programme with introductions and full lyrics will be available on the day for just €5. The production was premiered to great acclaim in Banagher in April for Charlotte Brontë's birthday and now forms part of County Offaly's 2026 Heritage week programme. This is an event not to be missed by Brontë or musical enthusiasts.
features the forthcoming Ilkley Literature Festival 2026 (2-18 October 2026). Erica Morris, Chief Executive of Word Up North, the producer of Ilkley Literature Festival, said: [...] "This year, as part of the National Year of Reading, we’re putting readers at the heart of the programme with a series of book club-style events - Page Turners Classic Fiction Club - celebrating some of the most compelling novels ever written from Wuthering Heights to The Wasp Factory. From dedicated fans to first-time readers, you can be sure of a warm Yorkshire welcome at Ilkley Literature Festival.” (Clementine Hall)
“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte is a literary work that has had several film adaptations over the years. It was also on many reading lists for high school literature classes. The tortured romance of Cathy and Heathcliff is timeless. The BBC/PBS 2009 adaptation of “Wuthering Heights” on DVD is available here at the library. The 2026 film version by Emerald Fennell also offers a new take on this classic work of literature. We’ll have that on DVD soon at the library too. With both film adaptations it is interesting to see what highlights of the plot are covered and how the costumes are interpreted. (Allison Peyton) A contributor to One Good Thing recommends '9 Books That Will Make Great Summer Reads' and one of them has echoes of Jane Eyre. 7. Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart Despite being published way back in 1958, Nine Coaches Waiting still manages to feel thrilling and fresh all these years later. The story features familiar elements from literary classics like Jane Eyre and Rebecca, as well as a dash of Cinderella in the way Linda, who spent years in an orphanage, encounters the tall, dark, and handsome Raoul. It’s impossible not to hold your breath alongside Linda as she attempts to unravel a potentially sinister plot. Can she separate the facts from her feelings of suspicion and attraction? If you enjoy a good page-turner, this one won’t disappoint. (Jill Nystul)
Opening today, August 14, in Washington D.C.:
NuSass Productions presents Written by Courtney Bayley Directed by Kathleen Barth August 14-September 12 Van Ness Main Street, 4340 Connecticut Ave NW Washington DC 20008
Nu Sass Productions cordially invites you to the house party of the season, hosted by none other than the Brontë Sisters—Emily, Charlotte, and Anne, the famous writers of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, respectively. The Brontë Sisters are stuck in purgatory, suffering through party after party in an endless time loop, until they throw the best house party and reach The Point of Celebratory Reverence. For them, hosting is truly hell.
The news of the involvement of the BBC in the new Jane Eyre TV adaptation with Aimee Lou Woods in the title role is all over the place. Now they include a statement from the Brontë Parsonage Museum: When asked about potential collaboration, Mia Ferullo, digital engagement officer at the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, said: 'We’re always happy to help research and facilitate museum visits. 'This resurgence of the Brontës in popular culture helps us to do our work in preserving our designated collection and making it publicly accessible to visitors and researchers. 'A lot of readers connect to Jane, partly because the novel is one they pick up as a teenager.' Ms Ferullo said screen adaptations introduce the Brontës’ work to new audiences, which in turn supports the museum’s mission. She said: 'We’re open to different creative interpretations of the novels and I think each generation will have their own version that is their favourite.' She also welcomed the casting of Aimee Lou Wood as Jane Eyre and drew parallels with Emma Mackey’s portrayal of Emily Brontë in the 2022 film Emily, which attracted younger visitors to the museum. She said: 'Her Sex Education co-star Emma Mackey portrayed Emily Brontë in the 2022 film Emily and we noticed that there was a draw for younger audiences to visit the museum. 'I’m looking forward to seeing Aimee Lou Wood’s Jane.' (Amelia Short in Great British Life)
This new production is adapted for the stage by Nick Young and Ross Muir, and directed by Nick Young. Young is a director who has worked for the RSC and Connaught Theatre in Worthing; he also founded Rainbow Shakespeare, which creates open-air Shakespeare productions for family audiences. Muir is an Artistic Director, producer and actor who has performed in a range of Shakespeare classics and enjoyed playing Santa! Jane Eyre is performed by an ensemble cast of five actors and features original music and songs. (...) reflects on the early impact of choreographer Pina Bausch; her residency at Edvard Munch’s former studio at Ekely in Norway; the physicality in the paint of Lovis Corinth; the “razor-sharp sentences” of the writer Annie Ernaux and her fascination with Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre; and the inspiring vision and “ecology” of the film-maker Agnes Varda. Love London Culture reminds us of the upcoming London premiere of Jane Eyre. The Musical and the Sirens video they posted a few days ago. A columnist of Clarín (Argentina) is fascinated by the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever event in Haworth. Vietnam.vn quotes how Wuthering Heights is one of the favourite novels of the writer Tang Thanh Ha.
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