W - Top Withens
This is another house I had never heard of.
You have to read on to find out more as I shall also have to.
This is another house I had never heard of.
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| Top Withens, Haworth circa 1900 (Source: Law, Alice 1923; p149 "Patrick Bramwell Bronte." - Public Domain) |
I suppose the Haworth name should have given me a clue.
The house is now a roofless ruin but it does have an explanatory plaque.
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| Top Withens - Bronte Society Plaque (18 May 2005 - by Dave Dunsford - Public domain) |
It's a long time since I read 'Wuthering Heights' but early in Chapter 1 Mr Lockwood finds out that -
"Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr Heathcliff's dwelling. "Wuthering" being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather. Pure, bracing ventilation they must have up there at all times, indeed: one may guess the power of the north wind blowing over the edge, by the excessive slant of a few stunted firs at the end of the house; and by a range of gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way, as if craving alms of the sun. Happily, the architect had foresight to build it strong: the narrow windows are deeply set in the wall, and the corners defended with large jutting stones."
8 comments:
Hi Bob - fascinating to read about Top Withens - certainly something I hadn't heard about. The plaque really helps doesn't it ... while the Moors do evoke the weather and conditions of the times, particularly in that descriptive passage you've given us to read ... I'm just glad I live now and can go and visit some of these amazing places. I've yet to see Haworth ... perhaps one day ... cheers Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/w-is-for-whistlejacket.html
A house houses a lot more stories than we actually can know!!!
Very unique choice for W!
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Anagha From Team MocktailMommies
Collage Of Life
Withens & Wuthering... Great finds for the W-post. It has been a while since I read the book, too.
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Eva - Mail Adventures
The view does evoke the feeling I got from the book. I've never seen the moors but this is how I imagine them.
Finding Eliza
That's an interesting find. I know that the house I lived in till I was 3 was remembered a lot differently from what it was--I had a dream of it when a teenager and was able to draw out the house and my parents assured me it wasn't anything like that! We're almost through the alphabet!
http://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2017/04/w-is-for-white-dwarf.html
Your post is making me want to listen to Kate Bush!
Phillip | W is for White Shapes | What do you see?
It looks like a very sturdy house that clings firmly to the ground. https:// Maui Jungalow
Real places that have significance because of novels make me happy. It's so neat to think that a writer can inspire and "speak" to so many different people, and for so many years.
Visiting from the A to Z Challenge. See my “W” post here: https://lydiahowe.com/2017/04/27/w-is-for-water-and-no-tea-atozchallenge/
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