Wuthering Heights
by Grace Sydney, Entertainment Editor

The lament for an unfulfilled love echoes in the wind that sweeps across the moors in Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte's classic tale of soulmates torn asunder that has haunted the imaginations of readers for almost two centuries.

Filming Locations

Emily Bronte's gothic novel has been depicted numerous times over the years, and the adaptation starring Ralph Feinnes and Juliette Binoche as the doomed lovers honored the author by filming in the landscape she loved. One intimate scene took place at Aysgarth Falls in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The serene beauty of this area has caught the eye of other filmmakers as well-- one of the park's three waterfalls can be seen in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

The ghost of Cathy Earnshaw felt connected to the only home where she had experienced real love, and fans of Emily Bronte's dark romance will feel drawn to the manor that served as the setting for Wuthering Heights, East Riddlesden Hall. The interiors for the 1992 cinematic version of the classic tale were shot in this 17th century mansion in Keighley, West Yorkshire, which is open to the public from late March to early November. Lovers strolling past on the lawn are reflected in the mirrored surface of the estate's pond as the heady perfume of wild roses and honeysuckle from the nearby garden sweeten the air.

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The genteel elegance of East Riddlesden Hall holds a secret within its walls, however. It is rumored that five spirits roam through the rooms, including one apparition dubbed The Gray Lady. Upon hearing these tales of the supernatural, you may start to imagine that you discern the sound of otherworldly footsteps wandering down the hall, or even that the the tapping of a beech tree branch upon a window is actually the ghostly hand of Cathy, begging from beyond to be allowed entrance into Wuthering Heights once more.

The World of Emily Bronte

Emily Bronte's life was intertwined with her surroundings in such a way that it seems her very soul was formed from the rugged terrain of her beloved moors. Born in the village of Thornton in 1818, her infancy was spent in the town's parsonage, which now houses a museum dedicated to the childhood days of the Bronte clan.

Befitting a locale with such a legacy, the Bronte Birthplace is currently owned by a fellow lover of the written word, novelist Barbara Whitehead, who has been reverently restoring the abode to its former Regency-style glory, and each year from April through September Bronte enthusiasts can tour the home in which three of literature's most respected authors came into the world.

Nearby is the Bell chapel, and although a new church has since been constructed on the grounds where Emily's father, Reverend Patrick Bronte, once presided, visitors may make an appointment to see a few cherished Bronte treasures, including the font where Emily, Charlotte, and Anne Bronte were baptized.

Although history records her as a shy woman who cared little for the company of any beyond her family circle and menagerie of pets, Emily Bronte painted a contrasting portrait of her true self through the words of Wuthering Heights, which were a reflection of the raw emotions that were hidden beneath her reserved demeanor. Clues to the life of this enigmatic figure can be found at the parsonage in Haworth, which was for her a sanctuary she could never bear to leave for long.

Wandering through the kitchen ,which was the heart of every country home, it seems as though the echoes of animated chatter between Emily and the housekeeper, Tabitha "Tabby" Ackroyd, can still be heard. In the author's bedroom you can almost imagine you hear the impish whispers of Emily and Anne as the two sisters sat side by side, conjuring up the latest adventures in their imaginary world of Gondal, a place to which Emily would escape to in her mind even in adulthood.

It was in the family dining room where the three siblings gathered to write their masterpieces. Plot lines and character development were heatedly discussed among the trio as they paced around the dining table well into the night. When only Charlotte remained her footsteps were often heard circling the table, finding comfort in the ritual as she walked with her sisters' memories.

Fallen leaves blanket rows of weathered headstones standing just outside the parsonage, and as you make your way along the path toward the chapel, the haunting echo of a churchbell rings in your ears-- perhaps it is Reverend Bronte, gathering his flock for prayer.

Sadly, only the tower remains of the original house of worship known as St. Michael's and All Angels Church. This is the final home of Emily Bronte, as well as her sister Charlotte.

However, it is not within the church confines that the writer's spirit lingers. Her presence is felt by those who climb to the summit of an isolated Yorkshire hilltop, where the remnants of a farmhouse known as Top Withens stands. Legend states that this structure was the inspiration behind Wuthering Heights, although only the stones clinging to its crumbling facade know the truth, and they will not divulge their secret.

Standing in such a landscape, watching the graceful sway of heather bowing to the will of the wind as it sweeps across the moors, it is easy to imagine that this is the place where Emily Bronte's wild heart, like that of the heroine she created, runs free.

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