For the Love of Jane
For the Love of Jane
Two hundred and fifty years ago on December 16th 1775, Jane Austen was born in Steventon, a small village in Hampshire about 15 miles south east of Highclere. With six brothers and one sister it must have been a noisy busy household, full of books, games outside in the garden, drama and family antics. Their father was a rector and money was always in short supply, but their mother was well connected and spent much of her life trying to gain the help of her wealthier relatives as her own circumstances became increasingly straightened
Letters recount that the Austen family frequently entertained themselves by reading aloud to one another or by creating short theatrical performances. Jane was often the one writing the scenes, she also wrote poetry and from the age of 12 began to write short stories.
Living much of her life in rural villages, she wrote a small number of novels but each one has been read and reread, made into films again and again or read on the radio. They are still much loved and never out of print. Whilst her time was framed by the gruesome stories and politics of the French revolution as well as the fear of the Napoleonic Wars, her books focus on the everyday life and characters whose experiences and emotions are familiar to all of us today.
Jane Austen was a great writer, with a hilarious turn of phrase, a sharp wit and a wonderful satirist. One of her strengths is her detailed observance and how she captures the tone of her characters, like a skilled painter who with a few deft strokes outlines the person in front but leaves the observer or reader to create the entire portrait. Her characters misjudge people based on appearances, or are embarrassed by their parents, or are unkind to others who don’t deserve it and offer only kindness in return. Her heroines flirt and often fall for unsuitable men before eventually finding better partners. Her heroines may be expected to paint or play the piano but do not always enjoy it or do it very well.
In addition, all her novels have a very strong sense of place with so much minute description that you can easily picture each house, village and town. In the novel Emma, Highbury becomes a real village as you read, in Persuasion Lyme Regis comes to life as does Mr Darcy’s Pemberley in Pride & Prejudice. There are nevertheless references to the outside world ranging from how well landowners look after their estate workers, to comments on the navy and life at sea.
When her father retired, Jane Austen moved with her family to Bath, but, five years later her father died and to her relief, they moved back to Hampshire - her heart lay in the rural life of her childhood although her sojourn in Bath provided her with material for Northanger Abbey or Persuasion for example.
After her father had died, the family finances were particularly precarious. Luckily, one of her brothers (Edward Knight Austen) was adopted by some wealthy cousins and he was thus able to offer some help to his sisters. Jane, her sister Cassandra along with their mother were able to move to a cottage in Chawton where she completed three novels before she sadly died far too young at the age of 41.
She both wrote and revised her novels sitting at a tiny writing desk which you can still see in the corner of the sitting room there in Chawton. The house also has other treasures on display: personal letters and first editions of her novels as well as items of jewellery. The rooms have been carefully restored to invoke a real impression of the details of her daily life: where she walked and took gentle strolls in the shrubberies and where she practised the piano. As her nephew later wrote, the house had a hornbeam hedge and it “shut out the Winchester road, which skirted the whole length of the little domain. Trees were planted each side to form a shrubbery walk, carried round the enclosure, which gave sufficient space for ladies’ exercise.” The garden is smaller today but still charming. (So worth a visit and brilliantly curated by Lizzie Dunford and her team)
Like many fans of Jane Austen, one of my favourites is Pride and Prejudice and one of the first editions belonged to her brother Edward Knight. Jane mentioned this copy in a letter to Cassandra:
‘I want to tell you that I have got my own darling Child from London; – on Wednesday I received one Copy, send down by Falknor, with three lines from Henry to say that he had given another to Charles”.
She loved writing – each book a precious child to be cherished and polished, written in tiny, meticulous handwriting. Like others I can only be grateful that her family understood, cherished and valued her novels as a legacy for all of us today.
26 Comments
Being both a fan of Highclere and Jane Austen, it's wonderful to know how relatively close her birthplace is to your home. Both places are on my 'must to to'.
The team at her home at Chawton are wonderful and they have a nice shop!
Thankyou for the recounting of Jane Austen’s life as a writer. I never tire of hearing about her and love to watch stories of her life made into tv dramas, and film and television adaptations of her books. Absolutely amazing writer! Thanks to Jane Austen we have some of the wittiest monologues in television! Long may her memory live on!
Thankyou Lady Carnarvon
Best wishes
FLEURINA
Orange City
Central Western NSW
Australia
She is never out of date
Merci Lady Carnavon pour ces precieux détails sur la vie de Jane Austen, probablement l'un des auteurs anglais le plus lus dans les lycées français Merci pour cette lettre hebdomadaire enrichissante
Lovely story. It's such a joy that even after her death (200 plus years ago) Jane Austen remains popular in books and films etc.
What a wonderful story. I've read most of her novels and am happy to hear that Chawton is so close to Highclere since we're planning a trip to the UK in 2027 and we can visit both. What good luck!
Good plan!
Lady Carnarvon,
Your story of dear Jane Austen is a lovely way to start the day! She has always been at the top of my list of storytellers who captured their characters so well. This was a real treat this morning! Thank you!
Martha G
Interesting to read that she was relieved to move back to Hampshire from Bath, as the Bath association is often the one we think of most. Thanks for setting the record straight!
💕 I love Jane.
I went to Chawton several years ago, taking photos of her little writing desk. I helped trim some of the flowers in the garden, pressed them when I got back home and framed them. I loved her books reading them several times. Of course Colin Firth was the perfect Mr Darcy.
Managed to visit Chawton and her brothers house one day one summer. A very merry Christmas to all at Highclere
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
I was recently at a book store in Marco Island Fl. One of the covers of beautiful book stood out to me and it was indeed Pride and Prejudice. I almost purchased it to read. After reading your wonderful blog post, when I return, I will purchase it. Knowing the background now will make it even more interesting. Thank you for writing to us.
Do buy it - it is always a very good read. The opening chapter is not long but what a tour de force
Lovely the pictures of Jane Austen wish you and lord Carnarvon and your staff happy Christmas lam fan of Downton Abbey and highcelere castle
And tomorrow is a virtual Jane Austen birthday celebration event! See the Jane Austen House website for tickets. You may want to appear in Regency dress!
Great reading thank you so much childhood memories of reading her books ,
Hello, I was intrigued by the picture of Highclere in your email. A Palladian mansion in the Georgian style, no less. Perhaps Miss Austen knew of it, being so close to her own home?
So different from the Highclere of today. I guess that there is an interesting story hidden therein? Is there a book, perchance?
In fact there is a dairy note that she passed through Lord Carnarvon's park - past the house ! I love it !!! Was this Pemberley!!!!!!
Lovely story honoring this beloved author.
Me encanta todo lo relacionado con Jane,su vida y su forma de escribir y para los que nos gusta la campiña inglesa y toda esa zo
na, es maravilloso, gracias por recordarnosla
Thank you for the lovely article about Jane Austin and for all your great blogs Hope you have wonderful Christmas season and a Happy New Year
Lady Carnarvon,
Now, I know why our local public television station is replaying Pride and Prejudice, and again I am watching!
Wouldn't it be wonderful if Highclere was Austen's Pemberley!
Jane Austen was ruined for me by having to study, analyse and criticise and generally pull to pieces for school 'O' level English exams 'Persuasion'.
Then, horror of horrors, I had to study 'Pride and Prejudice' for 'A' level English .... more shredding !
Thank goodness, 50 years later, I suddenly 'found ' Jane Austen again. She's brilliant, funny, and I LOVE her books now. What a pity she wrote so few !
If you've never read Austen, start NOW !!
I always enjoy reading your blog! Like a good cup of tea, books and your blog! Thank you again!!
Lady Carnarvon,
Thank you for this blog. As I read, I, too, wondered if Highclere inspired Pemberley. A literary historian may answer that question someday!
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a....chomp!. This is the opening of the film, "Pride, prejudice and Zombies" starring Lily James. I think it came out in 2019. There are others such as Bride and Prejudice, as well as the classics. But nothing can beat her books.
Nice to hear the link between Highclere castle and her village. I wonder if it was in inspiration in any of her books.
I so loved reading this and all your blogs. Thank you for sharing such wonderful information with us. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Dear Lady Carnarvon,
Beautifully written article on the life of Jane Austen.
I have a great admiration for her. In her short life,
She accomplished so much. Setting an example for other
Writers to come. I have always been fascinated
By poets and novelists. I grew up with an uncle
That was a poet, My ex husband, and many other
Friends that are literary. A world I enjoyed very much.
A world of adventures.
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