A REPLICA of the Bronte Parsonage will be temporarily created on Penistone Hill as part of a major new BBC drama about the world famous literary family.

The producers of To Walk Invisible, which has been created by award-winning Yorkshire writer and playwright Sally Wainwright, will also turn the clock back in Haworth Main Street to make it resemble its appearance in the 1840s.

The scale of the planned filming was outlined to members of Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council yesterday evening (March 7) by BBC spokesman Andrew Morgan.

Mr Morgan, who is the location manager for the BBC One project, said: "We've studios in Manchester where they are building interior sets of the parsonage, because we can't film inside the parsonage itself.

"We are also building an exterior replica of the parsonage, and our other big set piece will be in Main Street, which we will be turning back to the 1840s.

"This will take two weeks of preparation, two or probably three days of filming followed by a further week of dismantling.

"There will be a lot of work going on in Main Street at the back end of May and in early June."

Mr Morgan said Main Street would be closed between the Black Bull pub and Lodge Street during the first full week of June, with traffic management due to take place in the street for the previous two weeks.

"This will be something very special and we want people to come and see what we're doing," he added.

"As we get closer to the filming some of our staff will be coming to Haworth and distributing leaflets to people to see if they would like to be extras."

Mr Morgan said alternative arrangements were being made to provide parking for coaches which would normally use the Penistone Hill car park during the 1940s Weekend.

He said Main Street traders had been informed of the filming in their area, adding that residents of this street would also be notified.

The drama will revolves around the three Bronte sisters’ increasingly difficult relationship with their brother Branwell, who in the last three years of his life – following a tragic love affair – sank into alcoholism and drug addiction and appalling behaviour.

To Walk Invisible will also explore the siblings’ relationship not only with one another, but with their father, Patrick.

Mrs Wainwright will be directing the production. Her previous work, including the Calderdale-based television dramas Last Tango in Halifax and Happy Valley, has won widespread critical acclaim.

Commenting when news of the new drama was first released last year, she said: “I am thrilled beyond measure that I've been asked by the BBC to bring to life these three fascinating, talented, ingenious Yorkshire women.”