Haworth's Old School Room building to receive grant worth nearly £45,000

A MAJOR project to repair and refurbish one of Haworth's most valuable and historic buildings has received a welcome funding boost.
The Brontë Spirit Charity, which is in charge of the Old School Room, in Church Street, has today revealed that it will be able to carry out vital repairs to the landmark property thanks to a £44,873 grant from funding body WREN.

The money, awarded by WREN’s FCC Community Action Fund, will be used to fix the badly-leaking original roofs of the Patrick Brontë-inspired building. Averil Kenyon, chairman of The Brontë Spirit group, believes that once this work is complete, the fully restored facility will make a huge difference to the lives of people living in the area.
She said: “This project will provide a real boost to the people of Haworth and its visitors.
"It’s fantastic that WREN has awarded us this money and we are really looking forward to finishing the very necessary repairs to the roofs at the west-end of the building.”

WREN is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community, biodiversity and heritage projects from funds donated by FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Penny Beaumont, who is WREN’s grant manager for Yorkshire, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Haworth Old School Room Roof Repair Works project, and pleased our funding will make such a difference to so many groups of people across Haworth.

"WREN is always happy to consider grant applications for projects that benefit local communities, and we are looking forward to this one having a positive impact very soon.”
Mrs Kenyon added that she hopes that the repairs to the old, battered Victorian-era roof will be completed before the start of next winter.

Located between Haworth Parish Church and the Brontë Parsonage Museum on Church Street, the grade II listed Old School Room is one of the most important parts of the village's literary heritage.
Originally built by Patrick Brontë in 1832 and used for teaching by all his famous children, it is an integral part of the Brontë family landscape and story.

Since 2011 the Old School Room has been managed by a small charity, The Brontë Spirit.
This is made up of local people whose aims are to conserve and maintain the building for future generations, and to build on the Old School Room's 184-years of service to the community.
At the end of last year Bradford Council approved an application to replace six windows on the northern side of the building with new, timber frame replica windows. keighleynews

April-in-the-Parsonage-garden

 

Rough winter melts beneath the breeze of spring…
No man nor beasts to folds or firesides cling,
Nor hoar frosts whiten over field and tree;…
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Extracts from To Sestius, Patrick Branwell Bronte

 

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Maria Branwell birth certificate.

Charlotte Bronte mother’s baptism from Madron 1783