The Bronte Parsonage Museum stands a tribute to probably Britain's most famous literary family. The old parsonage was once home to the three famed Bronte sisters for approximately 35 years and is now maintained by the Brontë Society who champion their lives and works.

We visited on a whim, returning home from Yorkshire on a wet windy weekend. As a long-time reader and admirer of the Brontes, I have wanted to visit for a long time and so when we saw the brown directional signs, we couldn't resist.

We waited for a lull in the coachloads of tourists before heading towards the museum. The reception desk / till is situated immediately at the entrance. We duly paid our £5.50 entrance fee each for adults (Senior Citizens £4, Students £3.60, Children 5-16 years £2 , Children under 5 free, Family Ticket £13) and were handed an information leaflet to enable us to self-guide ourselves around the museum.

And so shepherded along among the flock of tourists to the front of us, to the side of us and behind us, we began our tour or the rooms sectioned off by ropes to stop you getting too close.

The first room to the right of the entrance is Patrick Bronte's study. As with all the rooms, it is furnished with the actual furniture belonging to the Brontes. Along with his desk holding his book of psalms and magnifying glass, is a small cottage piano mainly played by Emily. Getting the feel of connecting with the family yet? Despite the restrictions and control, I have to say I did.

In the kitchen is the table where Emily made bread every week. Everything including the utensils and china belonged to the Bronte household.

The first room on the upper floor is the servant's room once only accessible from outside by a stone staircase.

Beyond this is Patrick Bronte's bedroom. Branwell Bronte died in this room aged 31 looked after by his concerned father . In the room is a reproduction of the bed on which Patrick died outliving all of his family.
From here you enter Branwell's studio and exhibition room with various works of art (many by Branwell) and various Bronte paraphernalia.

There is no café in the Museum, but walk into the village and you find an assortment of cafes, pubs and restaurants all keen to take your money.

Two things struck me from my visit. Firstly just how much tragedy and death the house / museum had seen! A total of seven of the Bronte family had died in this house - and most of them so young!. And secondly, just how much imagination and creativity this family had.

The surviving four children were cosseted at home taught by their father and nutured by their aunt. The only boy, Branwell unhappy in love turned to alcohol and opium for solace. He died suddenly on Sunday 24 September 1848 aged thirty-one of tuberculosis. Emily died shortly afterwards in 19 December 1848 aged 30. Anne (the only Bronte not to die at the house) died in Scarborough on 28 May 1849 aged 29. Charlotte found love and married. Tragically though she died in the house on 31 March 1855 in the early stages of pregnancy. Sadly, there are no direct descents of the Brontes.

The four surviving children, somewhat socially isolated in this large house, created a deatailed imaginary world for themselves. This fantasy world was inspired by a gift of toy soldiers given to Branwell by his father. The children would entertain each others with stories from this world. It was the poetry written by the sisters for their characters that led them to their first publication in 1846 - a collection of poetry. Because of the Victorian prejudice against female writers, the Bronte sisters adopted the pseudonyms of Currer, Acton and Ellis Bell.