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"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." (Pride & Prejudice)

Walking in the Literary Footsteps of Jane Austen

Angelica
2006-04-05 12:28:33

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at Chawton (where Jane wrote most of her novels) is now a museum. The writer’s bedroom is much as it was when Jane lived there (which was until a few months before her death in Winchester in 1817), and included in the displays are family mementoes and copies of Jane’s letters. Near the museum entrance is an excellent gift and bookshop with a wide selection of books by and about Jane Austen.

She began writing Sandition early in 1817, but soon became very ill (with what’s thought to have been Addison’s disease). She moved to Winchester for medical treatment, but died a few weeks later, on July 18, 1817 – her head resting on Cassandra’s shoulder. She was 41. Her funeral was held in Winchester Cathedral and she was buried under the north aisle. A memorial plaque later erected in her memory reads:

Known to many by her writings, endeared to her family by the varied charms of her character and ennobled by Christian faith and piety, was born at Steventon, Hants. Known to many by her writings, endeared to her family by the varied charms of her. “She opened her mouth with wisdom and her tongue is the law of kindness."

Ten years after Jane's death, Sir Walter Scott wrote of her in his journal, "That young lady had a talent for describing the involvements, and feelings, and characters of ordinary life which is to me the most wonderful thing I ever met with....What a pity such a gifted creature died so early!"

Visitors who would like to follow the literary footsteps of the author may wish to tarry in some of the following locations which she frequented. In Derbyshire: Bakewell, Chatsworth House, Matlock, Dove Dale and the Peak District, all mentioned in Pride and Prejudice. In Dorset: Lyme Regis was Jane's favourite holiday resort. Bath on the border of Gloucester and Somerset, is where Jane wrote major portions of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Many of the streets and buildings she mentions still exist. Steventon (near Basingstoke) in Hampshire is where Jane was born on December 16, 1775, and lived until 1801. The 12thC Steventon Church, where Jane worshipped, is almost unchanged. A plaque was erected up by the Canadian and American members of the Jane Austen Society who paid for the refurbishment of the church bells in January 1995.

If you plan to visit Jane Austen's House at Chawton, keep in mind that the village is a little tricky to find and that closing time is 4.00 pm.

Winchester Cathedral is well worth a visit and it is interesting to note that on her tomb, no mention is made of Jane's literary accomplishments.

Nearby visitor attractions:
The New Forest Museum & Visitor Centre in Lyndhurst tells you all about the area. To savour the local beauty, rent a bicycle or a horse and leave the busy road. Only the wild ponies seem to read the speed limit signs! A popular pub is The Mailman’s Arms on the High Street.

The stately Palace House of Beaulieu, almost six miles SE of Lyndhurst, is the ancestral home of the Montagu family. The grounds incorporate a fascinating 13thC. Cistercian Abbey, and the National Motor Museum which houses over 250 exhibits of classic automobiles.

At Buckler's Hard, just two miles downriver, visitors can imagine life as it would have been in an 18thC-hamlet and shipyard.

Costumes designed for film and television adaptations of Jane Austen novels are on view at Bath’s Museum of Costume till 7th November, 2004. Contact: http://www.visitbritain.com

Images by Hamish M. Jackson
Email: crestlyn@axionet.com
Web: http://www.axion.net/crestlynn