Jane Austen's House

4 years ago

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Culture-Historical Building Culture-Museum Culture-Stately Home Eat & Drink-Pub Exhibition-Exhibition Exhibition-History Exhibition-Mixed Exhibition-Tour Settlement-Town

One of the world's greatest writers had the pleasure of calling the South Downs National Park her home. Loved by critics, scholars, and casual readers the world over, her novels are considered timeless works of art. You may recognise titles such as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma. Her 17th-century cottage in the village of Chawton has now been turned into a museum and exhibition area. Jane lived in this house for the last 8 years of her life before being buried in Winchester Cathedral when she died. This lovely red-brick home is now a Grade I listed building and contains many important artefacts owned by Jane during her life along with information on the author and her relevance to English Literature. If you're interested in learning more about another historical figure in the area, there's the Gilbert White & The Oates Collections 5-minutes drive down the road. Gilbert White was a famous 18th-century naturalist; his house is now a museum documenting his life with an exhibition of other British explores from the time. TOP TIP - Just down the road is Chawton House, a spectacular Elizabethan manor that was once owned by Jane Austen's brother. The building has spectacular gardens and an ornate library with exhibitions dedicated to works by feminist writers. FOOD & DRINK - Directly opposite the house is a popular 16th-century pub called The Greyfriar. This cosy establishment is adorned with all the homely architecture you'd expect from an English pub: low wooden beams, exposed brickwork, and a random mix of old furniture. Photo credits: LSE Library on Unsplash