Winberry Cottage: A Little Piece of Haworth History
There are some places that feel like holiday accommodation, and then there are those that feel as though they belong to the place they are sitting in. Winberry Cottage is very much the latter. Tucked away on West Lane in the heart of Haworth, this characterful cottage is surrounded by the cobbles, stone buildings, independent shops and literary history that have made this corner of West Yorkshire so special. For anyone looking for an autumn escape in Yorkshire, it is difficult to imagine a more fitting base.
Haworth has a way of making you slow down. Perhaps it is the steep cobbled streets, the old stone houses or the knowledge that the Brontë sisters knew these streets and surrounding moors so well. Whatever it is, there is something about the village that leaves you feeling slightly more refreshed than when you arrived. A friend of ours, a poet who loves Haworth as much as we do, always says, “All roads lead to Haworth.” After spending time at Winberry Cottage, I can rather see why.
A cottage with a history of its own
Winberry Cottage was built around 1800, although there is no exact date recorded on the deeds. The owners are currently working with the Brontë Parsonage to discover more about its history, which seems particularly appropriate given its position on West Lane. This is an historic Pennine street with close connections to the Brontë family, 18th-century religious revivals and the industrial growth that transformed West Yorkshire during the 19th century.
There are little reminders of that history throughout the cottage, but perhaps the most unexpected is hidden beneath your feet. Winberry Cottage has its own sealed well in the kitchen, complete with a light so guests can see it. It is the sort of feature that immediately makes you stop and wonder about the people who lived here before us and what everyday life must have been like when the cottage was new.
The cottage itself is arranged over three floors and has been furnished to provide all the comforts you would want from a modern stay without losing that sense of character. The sitting room, with its woodburning stove, is made for Yorkshire evenings when the weather has turned cold and the idea of going back out onto the moors seems considerably less appealing than settling down with a drink, a film or one of the books scattered around the cottage.
There is also a rather lovely cocktail cabinet which doubles as a little library and games cupboard, with books and games available for guests to enjoy. The owners are gradually adding to the collection and ask that the books remain in the cottage for future visitors. It is a small touch, but one that says quite a lot about the character of Winberry Cottage. This isn't simply somewhere to sleep; there is a feeling that you are being invited to enjoy the place and leave something of it for the next person.
Downstairs, the kitchen and dining area has everything needed for a proper breakfast before heading onto the moors or an evening meal after a day exploring Haworth. Upstairs, the bedroom has a double bed and an en-suite bathroom with a bath and shower, while outside there is a private garden where you can enjoy a coffee in the morning or sit out after a day's walking. There is also off-road parking for one car, which is particularly useful in such a popular village.
Why the name Winberry Cottage?
The story behind the name is perhaps even more charming than the cottage itself.
Winberries are wild berries that grow across the Yorkshire and Lancashire moors, particularly at higher altitudes, and can be found locally between July and September. They are known by an extraordinary number of names, including whinberry, wimberry, windberry, bilberry, fraughan, hurtleberry, whortleberry and blaeberry. In the United States, they are known as huckleberries.
For the owners, however, they are simply winberries and are connected to memories of their grandparents, who loved them. Childhood summers were spent picking the berries with the family, before Grandma Nellie turned them into pies and dumplings.
Thankfully, Grandma Nellie's recipe has survived, and guests are left the recipe at the cottage. It is a lovely continuation of a family tradition, and one that feels particularly appropriate in a house whose name is itself a tribute to those memories.
Grandma Nellie's Winberry Pie
Ingredients: 500g shortcrust pastry, 500g fresh winberries, 100g caster sugar and butter for greasing.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5 and butter an enamel pie plate. Combine the winberries with the caster sugar, keeping a little sugar aside for dusting the finished pie, and leave to settle for around 10 minutes while you prepare the pastry.
Roll out half of the pastry to fit the bottom of the pie plate, trim the edges and spoon in the winberry mixture. Roll out the remaining pastry and ease it over the top, pressing and crimping the edges together. Any leftover pastry can be used for decoration; Grandma Nellie apparently liked making little flowers for the centre. Make a slit in the middle to allow the steam to escape and bake for 45–50 minutes until golden and crisp.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar and allow to cool slightly before serving warm. Cream, crème fraîche or ice cream are all acceptable accompaniments.
Nothing tasted better.
Haworth is right outside the door
One of the biggest attractions of Winberry Cottage is that you can leave the car behind. The cottage is right in the heart of Haworth, with shops and pubs just a short walk away and the famous Main Street leading up towards the Brontë Parsonage Museum.
The Parsonage is an obvious starting point for exploring the village's literary history, but it is worth allowing yourself time simply to wander. Haworth's independent shops, cafés, pubs and historic buildings are as much a part of the experience as the Brontës themselves. From here, the village opens out into the landscape that inspired generations of writers and visitors, with walking routes leading towards the moors, Brontë Waterfall and Top Withens.
Top Withens is particularly atmospheric on an autumn day. The remote farmhouse ruins are traditionally associated with the inspiration for Wuthering Heights, although the exact literary connection remains a matter of interpretation. What isn't in doubt is the landscape itself. The wide-open moors, changing skies and exposed Pennine paths make you understand why this part of Yorkshire has inspired so much writing.
Another excellent way to experience the area is the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. The heritage railway runs through the Worth Valley between Keighley and Oxenhope, with Haworth station providing the perfect opportunity to combine a stay in the village with a journey through the surrounding countryside.
And if you fancy venturing further afield, Hebden Bridge is within reach for independent shops, cafés and a walk around Hardcastle Crags, while Skipton offers its castle, traditional market and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. For those wanting a bigger day outdoors, the South Pennine landscape and Yorkshire Dales provide plenty of opportunities to pull on the walking boots and explore.
But perhaps the best thing about staying at Winberry Cottage is that you don't actually have to do very much at all.
You can spend the morning exploring Haworth, disappear onto the moors for a few hours, come back cold and windswept, light the fire and settle down for the evening. There is something wonderfully simple about that kind of break.
A Yorkshire stay with a story to tell
What makes Winberry Cottage memorable isn't simply its location or its facilities. It is the collection of little details that connect it to Haworth and to the family who have given it its name. The old well, the history of West Lane, the books and games, the family memories of picking berries and Grandma Nellie's pie recipe all make it feel connected to somewhere rather than simply placed there.
And that is perhaps what we love most about Haworth.
We have always loved coming here. There is something about the village, the moors and the old stone buildings that seems to recharge you. Winberry Cottage feels like a natural extension of that experience: comfortable enough to make you want to stay in, historic enough to make you curious about what came before, and perfectly positioned for exploring everything that makes this part of Yorkshire so special.
Sometimes the best escapes aren't about travelling hundreds of miles. Sometimes they are about finding somewhere with a good story, a warm fire and a moorland walk waiting outside the door.
Winberry Cottage has all three.
Practical Information
Winberry Cottage
West Lane, Haworth, West Yorkshire
Sleeps: Ideal for couples
Parking: Off-road parking for one car
Facilities: Woodburning stove, Smart TV, WiFi, fully equipped kitchen, games cupboard, private garden and en-suite bedroom
Nearby: Haworth Main Street, Brontë Parsonage Museum, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Top Withens and the South Pennine Moors
Booking: https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/winberry-cottage.en-gb.html?aid=356980&label=mkt123sc-486416d1-9258-44d6-9b20-ae9ea5bcadb2&sid=fbfe6249af9a95b7ee7461a3a000e90d&dist=0&keep_landing=1&sb_price_type=total&type=total&
