Welcome
You may not have ever heard of a small village in Hampshire called Chawton but you most definitely have heard of its most famous resident, novelist Jane Austen.
This week, we not only dive into Austen’s life in Chawton but her connection to Chawton House and the cottage she lived in, which is now the Jane Austen House Museum.
We had a lovely day out when we visited a few years ago on a sunny day in Spring and if you are an Austen fan, you will want to add it to your travel itinerary.
I hope you enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week and if you do, please consider sharing it with your friends.
Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian
November - English Villages & Towns
Chawton, Hampshire
Background
The village of Chawton in the county of Hampshire is best known as the place Jane Austen lived for the last eight years of her life, but its history dates back to the Domesday Book in 1086.
Located 30 minutes north-east of Winchester and a 30 minute walk to Alton, it is well worth a visit if you are an Austen fan.
History
The earliest recorded history of Chawton dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086. At this time, Chawton was a small settlement, part of the lands controlled by the Bishop of Winchester. This period operated under a feudal system and the Norman influence on English society, where land and its management were central to power.
During the medieval period, Chawton's landscape was dominated by agriculture, like much of rural England. The village was relatively small with a close-knit community that revolved around the Church and farming.
During this time St. Nicholas Church was constructed and there has been a church on this site since the 13th century, with the original building having all but burnt down in 1871 following a fire but rebuilt into what we see today.
Chawton House was built between 1580 - 1588, during the time of the Spanish Armada and Queen Elizabeth I, and was a significant local manor, providing the village with a local Lord and it is thought that the village remained small because that suited the ruling lord at the time.
Chawton’s prominence increased in the late 19thC primarily through its association with Jane Austen, one of England’s most celebrated authors. Austen spent the last eight years of her life in Chawton and had local family connections in the area.
Her residence in the high street is now the Jane Austen’s House Museum, and attracts visitors worldwide, eager to connect with the author's legacy.
The preservation of landmarks like Chawton House, now a library and research center, and the Jane Austen’s House Museum, ensures that the village's rich history continues to be celebrated and explored.
Chawton House
Chawton House is located a short nine minute walk from the center of the village.
Dating back to the 1580s, the house was initially a manor estate belonging to the Knight family who purchased it in 1551. There was a previous smaller manor house on the site but the new building was more in keeping with a Lord’s status in society.
The most notable period in its history is its association with Jane Austen. In the early 19thC, Austen's brother, Edward Austen Knight, owned the estate. Austen herself spent a significant part of her life in the nearby Chawton Cottage, which is now the Jane Austen’s House Museum.
In the grounds of the estate is St Nicholas' Church. The graveyard is reserved for the Austen Knight family and is where Jane’s mother and sister are both buried.
Post Austen family ownership, the house underwent various changes. In the 20thC, it faced neglect and was at risk of being sold off in parts.
However, in the 1990s, it was saved by Sandy Lerner, co-founder of Cisco Systems, who restored the house and established the Chawton House Library.
This library focuses on women's literature of the 18th and 19th centuries, honouring the legacy of Austen and her contemporaries.
Today, Chawton House operates as an historic house museum and research center. It hosts a collection of over 10,000 books and is a site of pilgrimage for Austen fans and scholars. The estate, with its lush gardens and historic architecture, remains a testament to the enduring impact of Jane Austen's literary legacy.
This video gives a good look at Jane Austen’s association with Chawton House and village.
Relevant travel Information
Opening hours and ticket information to Chawton House can be found here:
https://chawton-house.arttickets.org.uk/
Full details of the house and what’s on offer can be found here:
Jane Austen
Jane Austen, an iconic figure in English literature, was born on December 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire. Austen was the seventh of eight children in a close-knit family.
Her father, George Austen, was a rector, and her mother, Cassandra Leigh Austen, belonged to a higher social rank. This family background, straddling the boundaries of the gentry and the professional classes, gave Austen a unique perspective on the social structures of her time, a theme that would prominently feature in her works.
Austen's works, characterised by their wit, social observation, and insights into the lives of early 19thC women, have cemented her legacy as one of the most revered and studied authors in the English language.
Austen's novels are celebrated for their reflection on real life, often biting irony, and social commentary on the norms and constraints of her time, especially those affecting women. Her works often explore issues of marriage, morality, and the need for personal growth. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Austen focused on the domestic sphere, offering detailed insights into the everyday lives and struggles of her characters, most of whom were women of the British middle class.
Austen began writing in her early teens, initially for the amusement of her family. These early works were precursors to her later, more sophisticated novels. Surprisingly she only completed six full novels; Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816). Two other novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, were published posthumously in 1818. Her novel Sanditon was left incomplete.
The proximity of Chawton House undoubtedly influenced her writing, providing a serene and inspiring environment. The estate's library also served as a valuable resource for Austen and her contemporary female writers.
Despite her significant achievements, Austen's identity as an author was not widely known during her lifetime. Her works were originally published anonymously, and it wasn't until after her death that her name became attached to her novels. This image of a first edition of Sense and Sensibility shows its author as ‘A Lady’.
Austen never married and died on July 18, 1817, at the age of 41.
Her relatively short life was marked by the quiet routines of rural England. Her novels have been adapted into numerous films, television series, and plays, and her influence on literature and popular culture remains profound.
Austen is buried in Winchester Cathedral and the inscription on the stone laid by her brother makes no mention of her literary endeavours and success.
In 1967, a memorial stone was unveiled in Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey.
Further information about it can be found here:
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/jane-austen?
Jane Austen's contribution to English literature can not be understated. Her novels brilliantly (and beautifully) dissect the social fabric of her life and other women in her time. They continue to captivate readers with their wit, romance, and keen social observations, making her one of the most enduring and beloved authors in the English-speaking world.
In 2017, Austen replaced Charles Darwin on the £10 note.
[Source: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/polymer-10-pound-note]
Jane Austen’s House Museum
The house was previously known as Chawton Cottage and was built in the 18thC. In 1963 it was Grade I listed.
The house had a number of ’lives’. Firstly as a home to local farmers, then a public house (pub), where two murders occurred (!!), after which Jane’s brother who was living in Chawton House by then, turned it back into a house for his bailiff.
Not unusual for the time, Jane, her sister and mother, wandered from relative to relative after the father died, effectively being passed around, as they no longer had the male member of their household to take charge.
Eventually, Edward Knight Austen allowed his mother and sisters to move into Chawton Cottage and they did so in 1809. After Jane died, her sister and mother continued to live there until their deaths, at which time the cottages were divided into estate worker housing.
The Museum, established in 1947 has a number of pieces of furniture, letters and jewellery belonging to Jane.
This small writing desk is believed to be the one Jane sat at daily to write her novels.
Visitors can also see Jane’s bedroom and the bed she slept in.
The garden is very typically English, full of herbaceous borders with lots of colour.
There are only three pieces of jewellery that are known to be owned by Jane and all are on display.
The story behind how the museum obtained the ring is fascinating. The Austen family retained possession of it until 2012 when it was put up for auction and American singer Kelly Clarkson purchased it.
Due to its significance, the British Government put an export ban on the ring and a public campaign was started to raise the funds to purchase it back from the singer. An anonymous donor provided £100,000 and the total of £152,450 was raised, to buy it back from Clarkson for the original sale price. She had a replica of the ring made and is said to still wear it. The ring went on display in 2014.
To learn more about the house and Jane’s life there, this video by Dan Jones and Lucy Worsley is excellent.
Relevant Travel Information
All details about the house and visiting it can be found here:
Tickets can be purchased here:
https://buy.myonlinebooking.co.uk/janeaustenshouse/sessions.aspx?
Opening days & times are shown here:
https://janeaustens.house/2024-opening-hours/
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Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.
After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.
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