A WRITER has secured funding to create a trail of engraved stones commemorating the bicentenaries of the birth of the Brontes.

Michael Stewart outlined the project – part of Bradford Literature Festival – to Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council at its meeting in Cross Roads last week. (June 6)

Mr Stewart said some funding for the "Bronte Stones" initiative is coming from Bradford Council, but most is being provided by the Arts Council.

There will be a stone each for Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell Bronte, with the first to be located at the siblings' birthplace in Thornton and two others on the moors in between Thornton and Haworth.

The site for the fourth stone, commemorating Anne, has still to be confirmed, but Mr Stewart told councillors that he would like it to be placed near a small footbridge known as the Donkey Bridge, which is on the beck between Haworth and Oxenhope, close to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

Mr Stewart asked the council whether it could help him find out who owns this land, so he can ask them whether they would be willing to have the stone placed there.

Mr Stewart, who also works as a creative writing course leader at Huddersfield University, explained: "These stones will be inscribed by a fine art letter carver with words commissioned from four of the world's best female writers.

"The stones will provide a walking through history trail between the Brontes' birthplace in Thornton and the parsonage in Haworth, though the Branwell stone will be at a hidden location to give people the chance of finding it for themselves.

"Yorkshire Water has given permission for the stones on the moors, and I've also got permission for the stone at the house in Thornton.

"There will be a phone app, a web page and a guide book too. I'm hoping to commission some major female writers to contribute to the guide book, as I want it to be a good read."

He said each of the four writers who will compose the words for the stones will decide for themselves what they want to write, based on their own inspirations.

"This is honouring the Brontes' legacy through contemporary writing," he said.

"So much about the Brontes is a step into the past but I'd like to make this about now.

"I've been interested in the Brontes for a long time and I live in Thornton, where they were born. I think the full extent of what can attract people to Bradford in terms of the Brontes has not yet been fully exploited.

"So I want do something that will bring positive attention to Bradford. And as the Brontes' works are read and admired all over the world this has real international potential."