On Wednesday the 24th we took a train from Waterloo station in London to the village of Alton which is next to Chawton, the village where Jane Austen lived.
Our train - what a great way to travel!
We arrived at the Jane Austen home about just before it opened at 10 am.
Known as Chawton Cottage, this was Jane Austen's home from 1809 to 1817. It was built in about 1690 and had once been used as an inn. Here she wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion (my favorite!), and revised Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility.
I think I was a bit excited!!
The back of the house
The lawn and some of the gardens
Along the side are these beautiful vines, the one on the left is a climbing hydrangea
Looking toward the front of the house you can see across the lane to where there was a tea room and a pub
The kitchen
Beautiful windows
There were lots of display cases with interesting items and papers, letters and such that Jane wrote.
This quilt top was stitched by Jane
Wallpaper from the time the Austen's lived here
The front door
The drawing room, and by the window is Jane's writing table, just where she sat and wrote each day
Amazing to think that she wrote such wonderful stories with a quill pen, sitting at this small table
I imagined her sitting here, writing my most favorite novel "Persuasion" which she finished not too long before her death in July 1817.
Jane's writing table - you can tell how small it was!
Entering Jane and Cassandra's bedroom which is on the second floor
Lace work collar done by Jane
This is a copy of the only known sketch of Jane, done by her sister Cassandra
To the right of the fireplace was the tiny closet, you can actually see all of it here!
To the other side was wash basin and chamber pot closet
The upstairs hallway
I could just see Jane going up and down these very stairsteps!
The top is worn right down to the nails
The pub across the lane from the Austen house, called The Greyfriar.
Steve had the local brew!
Good fish and chips for lunch!
In Jane's time, this was the blacksmith shop right next to the Austen's house. Fancy cutwork along the top of the thatched roof!
Next to the pub was a tearoom, so we headed there next! It was called "Cassandra's Cup" in tribute to Jane's sister. We had tea and a fruit scone - oh so good!
I was taking photos of all the beautiful cups and the fellow at the bottom right of this picture talked to me when we were leaving. It turned out that he and his wife were heading home to Winchester which is where we wanted to go next. So they gave us a lift (a 30 minute drive through the beautiful countryside that Jane would have known) and we had the nicest conversation and made some new friends! They dropped us off right by Winchester Cathedral.
The cathedral is huge and it's beginnings go all the way back to the 600's.
Along the side
The nave is the longest in England
Beautiful windows above the main entrance
The register showing where Jane Austen's death is recorded on July 18, 1817
Where Jane lies now, along the north nave aisle
Wall plaque for Jane
Pillar
Looking from the choir toward the back of the cathedral
The Great Screen to the back of the altar
St. Swithin's bones lie here - he was Archibishop of Winchester and died in 862. July 15 is his special day, and the legend says: "St Swithin's Day, if it does rain - Full forty days, it will remain. St Swithin's Day, if it be fair - For forty days, t'will rain no more."
Looking from the choir (quire!) toward the altar
One of the "mortuary chests" near the altar area
We walked up the high street toward the train station and what should I see but a Cath Kidston shop! I have seen and read about her in magazines, but seeing the pretty linens and accessories in person was a thrill.
I probably should have bought something!
Passing through the old City Gate at the top of the high street
There was a little plaque that said it was erected in the 1200's. We took the train back to London, a 55 minute trip. What a spectacular day!
