Thornfield Hall, Home of Edward Rochester, Country Gentleman

I found this artwork by Stewart Platt of a place called, "North Lees Hall," in Derbyshire. Charlotte Bronte had visited the area with her friend Ellen Nussey to help prepare the vicarage for Ellen's brother who was the new vicar, to be arriving after his honeymoon. Charlotte and Ellen visited North Lees Hall. 

by Stewart Platt

Research into the name "North Lees Hall" translates "north" to "thorn" and "lees" to "field." This is fascinating. We can see the inspiration that Charlotte Bronte would have gotten from visiting the place which she then turned into "Thornfield Hall" the home of Edward Rochester, country gentleman.

Just for comparison, here are some photographs of North Lees Hall.

 

Wouldn't you like to walk the grounds and wander inside as Jane would have done? Jane Eyre has come to life. 

(Inspired by this post)

The Duchess Reads

I'm pretty sure the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) likes classic books. Here she is in her Anmer Hall office below, and on her desk there are a set of these stunning cloth bound books that really look like this set I've been coveting.

And several years ago, she wore a certain dress for visiting the Anne of Green Gables house on P.E.I. that was Anne-like, a nod to Anne, if you will. In fact, she went out of her way on that tour to be able to see the Anne house. I posted about that here.

What do you think, is the Duchess a fan of the classics?


Edited:
Just saw this story about the Cambridges at home during the isolation, and yes, they noticed the books, too!
Here is a caption that went with the story (see below)

From Hello Magazine:

 

From Daily Mail:

 

Movie Stills

Classic "Little Women" from 1994.

I just adore seeing new {and old} classic movie stills. It's the first view you get of a film that you hope will match the feeling that you got from reading the book. They are usually stunning and beautiful pieces of art I think.
Here is the new still from "Little Women." One I am hearing great things about so far. I'll decide for myself when I see it in the movie theater.

And yet another "Little Women" that I've never seen before. I've always considered this a winter-themed book for some reason, so the watching of this will be beautiful and cozy. Here's to more movie stills in the future and the hope they bring!

Walk the Streets

Here is the Main Street of Haworth, Yorkshire where the Bronte family lived. Walk the streets with me, if you will, and have a Merry Merry Christmas.

 Photo from Wikipedia

Love & Friendship

Go see this Jane Austen movie~ Love and Friendship

What's All the Fuss Over a Pen?

The Bronte Blog has posted about some Bronte-related pens that are available for purchase.

So what's all the fuss over some handmade wooden pens, you say? I'll try to explain without jumping out of my seat -- There are three pens available to buy, each one named for one of the sisters. Henceforth, the "Charlotte Bronte Pen" / the "Emily Bronte Pen" / and the "Anne Bronte Pen."

The pens are made with wood taken from either Haworth Parish Church, where Emily and Charlotte are both buried, taken from a church pew, or wood from the schoolroom where the sister's famously taught their pupils (wood taken from a window sill).

I have already secured one of the pens for myself, and I wonder if you can guess which one I chose. It was a hard choice, but I finally decided on one. I wish I could have justified one of each, but I couldn't. When my pen arrives, I'll share with you which one I got. I'll leave comments on if you want to be brave and guess what I chose.

These pens are limited, of course, when they are gone they are gone. If you love the Bronte's and want a connection to their past you might want to check them out before they disappear. You'll find them at YorkandBeyond.

The Birds

Birds like old buildings,
For the bird's eye view, I suppose.
If I were one of their flock,
I would sit on the old stones, too,

Perching bricks that could tell
One hundred year old tales.


This bird could tell a few tales...

A raven called "Grip," belonged to Charles Dickens

 This is the raven. I mean, the raven that inspired, "The Raven."
This bird belonged to Charles Dickens whom he wrote about in his story,
"Barnaby Rudge." Poe thought the bird should have been given a bigger part
in the book, apparently. Four years later, Poe wrote the poem.

Click for more.

Bronte Likeness?

Are these the Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne?

I seriously doubt it. But I do like the mystery of the possibility.

Take a look at Branwell Bronte's paintings of his sisters and compare.

Gun Group Portrait, by Branwell Bronte

Anne, Emily, and Charlotte Bronte, painted by Branwell Bronte

Here are some other portraits of the sisters

Emily Bronte, painted by Branwell Bronte

Anne Bronte, painted by Charlotte Bronte

And this is an actual photograph of Charlotte Bronte

Charlotte Bronte

It's fascinating to ponder.

The Bronte Sisters

A True Likeness?

Are These the Brontes?

London, A Day Or So Ago

This is London a day or so ago.
Isn't this such a pretty scene.
It's things like this that make me pine for England!

Boxing Day

Happy Boxing Day!

London Fog

Do not adjust your computer screen, just enjoy the view.

Regency Roads

I'd give almost anything right now for "50 miles of good road." With all the road construction going on lately, you realize you sometimes take good roads for granted, ...whether they are Regency roads, or not.

When the roads get put back together, I'll be grateful. For now, I'll trod them carefully, and with just a little angst that mine are not Regency ones with country paths for stretching with rests from the travel between Regency miles. Once again, born in the wrong era!

"It must be very agreeable 

for her to be settled within 

so easy a distance of 

her own family and friends."

"An easy distance, do you call it? 

It is nearly fifty miles."

"And what is fifty miles of good road? 

Little more than half a day's journey. 

Yes, I call it a very easy distance."

~~Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 32

Do you know this house?

It is the Anne of Green Gables house on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Anne is fictitious of course, but the house/museum is not. There will be royal visitors at the house this July. Surely Anne would be proud. Apparently, the new Duchess is a childhood fan and requested this stop be put on their schedule. Wouldn't you, if you could!

Trees in the Abbey

I don't intend on talking about the royal wedding ad naseum, and hope I'm not there yet, but one of the most stunning and lovely aspects of that day, I thought, was the avenue of trees just inside the entrance, surrounded by centuries of architecture. It really stood out as a beautiful gesture of inviting nature's presence into such a sacred setting.

Special Wedding Day

Happy Wedding Day!
This very-proud-and-happily-American girl has a small part of her heart reserved for Great Britain. Been there twice, and neither time was long enough. So on this special wedding day I celebrate, as all good anglophiles will, a very British occasion and mark of history.

There may be scones and cucumber sandwiches in order later today, if I can get up enough gumption to prepare them. Maybe not. Five years ago, I toured Westminster Abbey and stood near the high altar steps - a beautiful setting for today, and all the memories are good. Here's to watching history right before my eyes.

Royal House of Love

London on the Brain

What with all the postcards posts and Royal Weddings happening this month in London, I just have London on the brain. This is an aerial view of London from NASA. Amazing, unreal, and stunning! Gorgeous, anyway you care to look at it! (Stay tuned for more London on April 29th)

Post From London

I adore London, there's no getting around it. Walking it's streets on my own was a dream come true. I long to go back one day, but until then, maybe this can tide me over - post from London.

The sender will write you a quote or saying on a postcard, and send it directly from London.

Like Marianne Dashwood, you'll be checking the post every day, wondering if it's arrived yet.

I wonder if she takes quote requests. For instance, a quote by one of the Brontes, or maybe one of the Inklings, would be nice. Either way, what a treat for those of us who long to be across the pond.

update:
Sadly, I never got the postcard I ordered :(
She sent another one and didn't get that one either! 


Photo by Missharry

Then Was Lancelot Sent For

Here is a link to some less familiar depictions of Elaine of Astolat, also known as, "The Lady of Shalott."
Elaine of Astolat or Ascolat is a figure in Arthurian legend who dies of her unrequited love for Lancelot. Also referred to as Elaine the White and Elaine the Fair, she is the daughter of Bernard of Astolat. Versions of her story appear in Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur and Alfred Tennyson's Idylls of the King. Elaine's story is also the inspiration for Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott."(wikipedia)

And my favorite version by John William Waterhouse

Read, Just Read

Like no other time of the year,
the
bleak
midwinter
beacons
me
to
read,
just
read.

And to
watch
the
wonderful
BBC
shows that
start to air
on PBS just about now.


Most of which began with a book.