Who were the Bronte sisters?
The Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne, were English novelists and poets from Yorkshire who wrote classic novels in the 1840s, including Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
The sisters grew up in the village of Haworth on the edge of the Yorkshire moors, where their father, Patrick Bronte, was a clergyman. Their mother and two older sisters died when they were young.
As children, they created imaginary worlds with their brother, Branwell, writing stories in tiny handmade books.
Their famous novels
In 1847, Charlotte published Jane Eyre, Emily published Wuthering Heights and Anne published Agnes Grey. They used male pen names: Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell.
Jane Eyre was an immediate success. Wuthering Heights, with its wild moorland setting, was controversial at first but is now considered a masterpiece.
Tragically, Branwell, Emily and Anne all died between 1848 and 1849. Charlotte died in 1855 during pregnancy.
The Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth is in the family home. Visitors can walk across the moors that inspired Wuthering Heights.