Ponden House, a Grade II listed Yorkshire farmhouse regularly visited by the Brontë sisters is now a popular guesthouse for sale. The 5,000-square-foot sits on the edge of the moors in Stanbury near Haworth, West Yorkshire with sweeping panoramic views over the Ponden Reservoir.
Dating back to 1541, Ponden Hall sits on four acres of land and is said to be the inspiration behind Thrushcross Grange in Emily Brontë’s classic novel, Wuthering Heights. The space boasts a grand entrance hall while also remaining comfortable, quaint and quiet.
The current main guest bedroom includes a tiny single-paned window with a large panelled box bed. According to tradition, it is supposedly the window that inspired the appearance of Cathy’s ghost in her famous love story.
Current owner, Julie Akhurst, told the Yorkshire Post: “We think that Emily based that scene on this room because old documents relating to the house describe a box bed in a room across from the library and you can see where it was bolted to the wall by the window. It’s just how she described it.”
Other special features include a stain-glassed window dating back to 1801, stone-flagged flooring, traditional wooden beams, a built-in larder, south-facing walled garden, a courtyard, self-contained annexe with its own entrance, a four oven Aga and a practical family room.
The house was transformed in 2014 and has been operating as an award-winning B&B for literary fans by its current owners, who are now retiring and looking for a smaller home. The property is on the market for £1.25m via Fine & Country.
