Summary
House built in 1802, home to the Bronte family 1815-20, being the birthplace of the Bronte Sisters: Charlotte 1816, Emily 1818 and Anne 1820.
Reasons for Designation
Numbers 72 and 74 Market Street is listed grade II* for the following principal reasons:
* Association: as the birthplace of the celebrated C19 novelists Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte;
* Date: as a good example of a small, early C19 townhouse.
History
The house was built in 1802 and was the home of Patrick and Maria Bronte from 1815 when Patrick was curate at the church of St James in Thornton until 1820 when the family moved to Haworth. The house was the birthplace of their four youngest children: Charlotte (1816-55), Bramwell (1817-48), Emily Jane (1818-48) and Anne (1820-49). By the mid C19 the house was extended to form a shop. The property was renovated in the late 1990s because it was the birth place of the Bronte sisters.
Details
House, 1802, home to the Bronte family 1815-20 and birth place of Charlotte, Emily and Anne. Projecting shop (no.72) added mid C19.
MATERIALS: thin coursed sandstone used similar to brick, sandstone dressings and stone slate roof.
PLAN: central entrance plan with a single storey shop projecting forwards from the right, (east) bay.
EXTERIOR: this is a small, two storey, three bay house that is attached to the flanking properties to the sides. The symmetrical frontage has large square windows divided into paired lights with central stone mullions, the window above the central door being a single light. All of these windows have plain stone surrounds and 2-over-2 sashes. The central door has a similar plain surround, but also has a moulded cornice supported by simple console brackets. The eves is corniced, this being supported by small, paired modillion brackets.
The mid-C19 projecting bay is canted to the west with a doorway set in the corner. Facing the street to the south is a large shop window with a 3-over-3 sash and a folding awning, all protected by a moulded stone cornice supported by moulded consoles.
INTERIOR: not inspected.
SUBSIDARIES: extending to the left (west) of the front door, enclosing a small front garden, is a wall topped by short, wrought iron railings with fleur de lis and honeysuckle heads.
Listing NGR: SE1006732756
This listing was enhanced in 2016 to mark the bicentenary of Charlotte Bronte’s birth.
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 9 March 2021 to reformat the text to current standards
