Bradford-born heritage champion Steve Stanworth shares his remarkable twenty‑six‑year journey restoring and celebrating Thornton’s extraordinary Brontë legacy. From transforming the Old Bell Chapel, where Patrick Brontë served as perpetual curate from 1815–1820, to creating the St James Church Brontë exhibition — which includes the font at which all the Brontë children, except Maria, were baptised — and helping to return the Brontë Birthplace on Market Street to its Regency character, Steve brings together the story of three landmark Brontë projects and the passion that has driven them. Patrick Brontë himself wrote that his happiest years were spent in Thornton, a sentiment that underpins Steve’s lifelong dedication to preserving this remarkable heritage.
Steve’s History
Born and bred in Bradford and a keen walker of the Dales, Steve has long been a passionate advocate for Thornton and its Brontë story. Since 2000 he has been fundamental in the transformation of the Brontë Bell Chapel, dedicating twenty‑six years to restoring the site to its current state.
Together with his close friend and fellow Brontë enthusiast Christa Ackroyd, Steve created the Brontë exhibition in St James’ Church, expanding the village’s cultural landscape. He has served as Chairman of the Brontë Birthplace Trust (2012) and Vice Chair of Brontë Birthplace Ltd, helping to steer the organisation through key stages of its development.
Steve and Christa also sourced appropriate pieces to furnish the Brontë Birthplace in Thornton with the Regency‑inspired décor that welcomes visitors today, bringing historical sensitivity and creative vision to the project.
His work across the Brontë Bell Chapel, the St James’ church exhibition, and the Brontë Birthplace, Thornton has helped unite these three strands into a coherent, long‑term celebration of Thornton’s unique place in the Brontë story.
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