Penmaker pays tribute to enduring appeal of the Brontës

A PENMAKER has come up with a fitting tribute to a family of literary icons after using English oak linked to the Brontë sisters to fashion a range of pens.

Richard Cunningham has set up a new venture after sourcing wood from the schoolroom where the famous sisters taught, and the church where they worshipped.

He has now crafted three different styles of fountain pen, each costing £39.99, with a
design named after a different sister.

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The wood, which dates back to the 1850s, was obtained from the Haworth Old Schoolroom and Haworth Church in West Yorkshire – where two of the sisters are buried – during their latest renovations.

The Emily and Charlotte Brontë pens are made out of wood from the church where the authors
are buried, reclaimed from a 
pew in the church, while the Anne Brontë pen is crafted from wood from the Brontë schoolhouse.

Mr Cunningham, 38, who runs penmakers York and Beyond, said: “It was my father’s idea, he saw that the buildings were being renovated and we went and got the wood.

“I think they are perfect for anyone who is interested in the Brontës. We have sent them all over, to South Africa, New Zealand and particularly Australia where they are very keen on them.”

He started out by creating pens using wood from another heritage site, York Minster, before turning his attention to Haworth and its more obvious links to writing.