A LEGENDARY monster highlighted by Charlotte Brontë is among ‘stars’ of the winter season organised by the Brontë Parsonage Museum.

The Gytrash will be joined at special January events in Haworth by famous actor Laurence Olivier, Brontë friend Tabitha Ratcliffe and a present-day museum curator.

Charlotte referred to the Gytrash, a giant, clawed dog-like creature, in her classic novel Jane Eyre.

Mapping Magic, a presentation at the West Lane Baptist Centre on January 20 from 2.30pm, will look at this creature and more in the company of Romantic and 19th-Century Literature expert Dr Simon White.

Dr White has advised Mapping Magic, an innovative online resource that allows people across the UK to contribute to an interactive map about local history and folklore.

They can ‘pin’ a snippet of text, historical photo, video, audio recording or a personal recollection. Dr White will show people how to use the resource.

The 1939 movie Wuthering Heights, which starred Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, will be screened at the West Lane Baptist Centre on January 8 at 1pm.

The film is billed as a teaser for a special exhibition due to open in February at the Parsonage Museum to mark the bicentenary of the original novel’s writer, Emily Brontë.

Museum guides will lead Winter Wonder, a 45-minute ‘storytelling adventure’ on the streets of Haworth, on January 13, at both 11am and 2pm.

The guides will uncover the stories and secrets of the village the Brontës would have known, and walkers will meet local characters John Brown and Tabitha Ratcliffe.

The museum will be closed during January for cleaning and conservation work but every day at noon, a member of the museum team will be in the garden to share with visitors their knowledge of the Brontë family.

Parsonage Wrapped is a special event on January 6, at 11am and 2pm, when visitors can peek behind-the-scenes.

A member of the curatorial team will guide people through the delicate and painstaking process of ‘putting the house to bed’, carrying out vital conservation and cleaning work, and updating displays and exhibitions.

There will be late-night opening until 8pm at the Parsonage on December 14 so people can explore the building after hours. Admission is free after 5pmfor people providing proof of residence in BD22, BD21, BD20 or Thornton.

Visit bronte.org.uk/whats-on or call 01535 642323 for further information and booking for all events.