Charlotte, who died at the age of 38, was the last survivor of the famous literary Bronte sisters. Although, when she died, her formal status was nothing more than a country curate's wife, the author of Jane Eyre and other novels had become famous in her own lifetime. People came all the way to Haworth just for a glimpse of Charlotte.

However, when the Bronte sisters first tried to get their work published in the 1840s they had to pretend they were men. The writings of these three West Yorkshire sisters helped to change all that.

J.H.Thompson's 1950s portrait of Charlotte

The anniversary of Charlotte Bronte's death is being commemorated by wreath-laying in Westminster Abbey and in Haworth, exhibitions, the issue of a special commemorative set of stamps as well as the chance to see some very special video installations at her former home.

Leaving Home, a series of videos produced by landscape photographer and video artist Simon Warner, runs at the Bronte Parsonage until March 31st, the date of Charlotte's death. At the exhibition's launch on March 11th visitors will be able to see a sequence of dissolving moorland images including scenes of rippling pools, waterfalls and clouds projected onto the front of the building.

Charlotte's novel Jane Eyre has become one of the most popular novels in the English language. The story of a seemingly-plain governess, the heroine Jane Eyre is a strong-minded young woman who still has appeal for many readers today.

Paula Rego's designs for the Jane Eyre stamps

The Royal Mail has now issued six stamps using lithographs by artist Paula Rego. Rego's series of 24 prints has been on show at venues throughout the world, including the Bronte Parsonage Museum. Much of her work is based on fairy tales - Rego is interested in the darker and secret side of human nature so for her Jane Eyre is much more than a story in which Jane finally gets her man.

When Mr Rochester proposes to Jane Eyre she tells him she is "poor, obscure, plain and little." This is the name that's been given to a series of newly commissioned stories to be transmitted on BBC Radio 4. Anyone can attend the recordings of the stories which will be performed by actors at West Lane Baptist Chapel, Haworth on March 23rd and 24th (booking necessary). Amongst those providing the stories is Booker-nominated author Michele Roberts whose story centres on Sophie, a maid in Jane Eyre.

This is not the first time people other writers have built their own stories around the characters in Jane Eyre. The film version of Jean Rhys' 1966 classic novel Wide Sargasso Sea is to be screened as part of a special event at Bradford's National Museum of Photography, Film and Television. It's a fascinating tale about the first Mrs Rochester and what led her to become the mad woman in the attic.

"Currer Bell is dead!"

'Currer Bell' Is Dead is an exhibition which looks at the last year of Charlotte's life using manuscripts, letters, photos and objects from the Bronte Society's own collection. It explores her thoughts about marriage, life at the Parsonage and the circumstances leading up to her death.

Charlotte married Arthur Bell Nicholls, her father's curate, on June 29th, 1854. By this time she was a successful writer and financially independent. Although she does not appear to have been swept off her feet by this match she seems to have grown fonder of her husband after her marriage. However, by January 1855 she was pregnant and suffering from chronic morning sickness. Her increasing emaciation led to a loss of consciousness. Her friend Elizabeth Gaskell reports: "(Charlotte) saw her husband's woe-worn face, and caught the sound of some murmured words of prayer that God would spare her. 'Oh!' she whispered forth, 'I am not going to die, am I? He will not separate us, we have been so happy..."

Charlotte Bronte died in the early hours of Saturday, 31st March, 1855. Her unborn child died with her. She was survived by her husband and her 78-year-old father, Patrick - "Our loss is indeed great."