Memories of Jane Jane Austen-themed holidays
Jane Austen was born in Steventon near Basingstoke on December 16, 1775, and lived for 25 years in the Old Rectory, which no longer exists.
Here Jane wrote drafts of three books including PrideandPrejudice. However she is most closely associated with the village of Chawton outside Alton.
The family moved to Bath on her father’s retirement, but on his death in 1805, Jane went to stay with her brother Frank in Southampton with her mother and sister Cassandra. In 1808, another brother, Edward, offered them a cottage on an estate he had inherited in Chawton and today, Jane
Austen’s House Museum is a must-see for Austen fans. Here she lived until her early death in 1817, writing novels such as Emma and MansfieldPark, and revising earlier ones for publication.
Most of the furnishings in the house are typical of the period rather than authentically Jane, but it’s a spine-tingling moment to see the chair and small table where she wrote her books with a quill pen.
I loved reading her letters, seeing the intricate shawl she embroidered, and admiring her beautiful turquoise ring, before sitting on a bench in the tranquil cottage garden. WWW.JANE-AUSTENS-HOUSE-MUSEUM.ORG.UK.