The Marrington Estate recently played host to Carl Jones from the Shropshire Business Podcast and author Bronte Bennett to explore the very landscape that breathed life into her debut novel, The Squire.
For Bronte, returning to the estate is a homecoming of sorts. It is the place where her journey from a busy corporate director to a published novelist truly began.
Escaping the Noise to Find “Space in My Head”
Moving to Shropshire in 2021, Bronte, who runs a global training business alongside her writing, found herself struggling to hit her word count amidst the chaos of daily commitments.
“Outside of authoring, I run a business, I’ve got a day job, family commitments… I knew I needed to take some time out if I really wanted to write this book. So, I came to Marrington.”
What she discovered was an environment that immediately unlocked her creativity. Walking through Dingle Valley, she reflected on why the estate has such a profound impact on her mental clarity:
“Mentally, when I have space in my environment, it feels like I’ve got more space in my head. I really am massively influenced by my environment… for me to focus, I need to minimise useless distractions and maximise useful inspiration. And that’s what I get from this place.”
Turning Landscape into Literature
Bronte designs her worlds by soaking in the sensory details of her surroundings from the sound of the bubbling River Camlad to the drama of our 16th century Baronial Hall, Marrington Hall.
While there is a common misconception that authors must be introverts, Bronte identifies as an extroverted writer who feeds on the world around her to fuel her internal vision.
“I know lots of introverted authors who can create the world inside their own head, whereas I need the world outside to input into my vision… I’m taking it all in, and I’m using it for my output.”
Her writing style draws heavily from classic romantic literature and the legendary Jilly Cooper, whom Bronte cites as her number one inspiration. She aims to weave that same signature “cheekiness” and environmental texture into her own narratives.
What’s Next for the Squire?
With her first book successfully launched, Bronte revealed that Book Two is already well underway and will pick up seven years after the events of the first novel.
True to her self-proclaimed identity as a “pantser” an author who writes by the seat of their pants without a rigid plot outline, she is letting the characters dictate their own futures.
And if she ever hits a wall? She knows exactly where to go.
“If I’m struggling, I just need to come back to Marrington Escapes for a few days and I’ll finish it… a couple of days here and I can achieve more than I achieve in months.”