Pieces of original beams are up for grabs as part of a fundraising effort for the historic house in Thornton, Bradford.
The Brontë Birthplace, Thornton, where Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne Brontë were all born, opened to the public for the first time in its 200-year history earlier this year.
Money from more than 700 individual investors, together with grants from Bradford City of Culture 2025, the Community Ownership Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Rural England Prosperity Fund, led to the house being purchased and placed under the care of Brontë Birthplace Limited, a Community Benefit Society.
As part of the sensitive renovation, the ceiling of the parlour was stripped back to reveal timbers that could no longer be used. In consultation with Bradford Council and Historic England, the beams had to be replaced.
A total of 240 sections of the Brontë Birthplace beams have been carefully prepared by the Birthplace property advisor, Adrian Tingle.
They have been framed and mounted by Thornton-based picture framer, Andy Rushworth, with museum-quality art glass, and are now on sale to the public for £250 each.
Each of the slices has holographic authentication and a register of ownership will be maintained.
Nigel West, Fundraising Coordinator from the Brontë Birthplace, said:
“This is a limited edition. We do not anticipate any further major works in our lifetime, and you can take the opportunity to own this little slice of history, secure in the knowledge that removal was completely necessary to ensure the safety of the building.
“Dating back over 200 years, each beam once supported the very floor beneath the feet of the Brontë family. Lovingly preserved and presented, each piece offers a tangible connection to literary history and a timeless keepsake from the very place where the Brontë story began.”
Also available to Brontë enthusiasts as part of the fundraising drive is a limited-edition poem by London-based poet Liliana Pasterska.
Liliana joined forces with Marina Saegerman from the Brussels Brontë Group, who specialises in calligraphy and artwork, to create the Brontë Birthplace, Thornton poem. Just 100 signed poems are priced at £120 each.
Nigel West added: “The result is a unique and moving collaboration between Brontë enthusiasts brought together across countries by their shared passion.”
“What began as a creative project has also blossomed into a lasting friendship and will hopefully support the continued work of the Brontë Birthplace.”