Anne Bronte – Scarborough

Anne is the only member of the Bronte family not buried at Haworth.She was suffering from the early stages of consumption and it was felt that the change of air might help relieve the symptoms. Charlotte requested that her friend Ellen Nussey accompany them on the journey which they began on 24th May 1849. They booked rooms at the Wood’s lodgings, No.2 the Cliff, which today is where the Grand Hotel (picture below) stands. The plaque marks the site: “Anne Bronte 1820-1849 Writer died in a house on this site on May 28th 1849”.

At the time St Mary’s Church was being rebuilt, the funeral service was held at Christ Church which was close to their lodgings. The cortege passed through the steep narrow streets before arriving at St Mary’s churchyard.

The panoramic photo (right) is taken from Scarborough Castle. It has The Grand Hotel, Anne’s Grave and the Tourist Information Centre marked. You can also take a 360 tour from the same spot here…

Anne is buried in St Mary’s churchyard on the Castle Hill overlooking the sea, 360 degree view of Anne Brontes grave here…

The panoramic photo (right) is taken from Scarborough Castle. It has The Grand Hotel, Anne’s Grave and the Tourist Information Centre marked. You can also take a 360 tour from the same spot here… Anne is buried in St Mary’s churchyard on the Castle Hill overlooking the sea, 360 degree view of Anne Brontes grave here… From May 23rd – June 2nd 1852 Charlotte visited Filey staying at the lodgings where she and Ellen had stayed after Anne’s death. Visiting Anne’s grave she was annoyed to find that the stone had 5 errors on the inscription which she instructed to be corrected. Today, the grave states Anne’s age as 28 when it should be 29, she was born 17th Jan 1820.

Scarborough beach South Bay was an area well known to the Brontes particularly with Anne who last visited the beach on 26th May two days before her death. 360° view of South Bay here…

“when my foot was on the sands and my face towards the broad, bright bay, no language can describe the effect of the deep, clear azure of the sky and ocean………..there was just enough heat to enhance the value of the breeze, and just enough wind to keep the whole sea in motion, to make the waves come bounding to the shore, foaming and sparkling. My footsteps were the first to press the firm, unbroken sands; nothing before had trampled them since last night’s flowing tide had obliterated the deepest marks of yesterday, and left it fair and even, except where the subsiding water had left behind it the traces of dimpled pools, and little running streams……… ……I should soon have been deluged with spray. But the tide was coming in; the water was rising; the gulfs and lakes were filling; the straits were widening: it was time to seek some safer footing;” Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte.