Published Date:
10 July 2009
By Jodie Jeynes
A house move may not sound like the stuff of bicentenary celebrations, but for the village of Chawton, near Alton, this week marks the 200th anniversary of the arrival of a very special resident.
Jane Austen moved to a cottage on her brother Edward's estate in the Hampshire village in 1809 and spent the last eight years of her life there.
Today the cottage is Jane Austen's House Museum – an important site for the history of English literature.
In this house Jane revised her novels Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility & Northanger Abbey also wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion.
The Museum tells the story of Jane Austen and her family and retains the charm of a village home.
On Sunday the museum held a special event to officially open its £670,000 redevelopment.
The project aims to make the story of Jane's life more accessible to the 1,000s of visitors from all over the world who flock to the house each year.
It includes a new learning centre complete with hands-on activities, the opening of the Austens' old kitchen, returning the drawing room to its original use, a new and large shop in the Granary, an audiovisual presentation on Jane's life and an exhibition exploring the film and television adaptations of Jane Austen's books.
Throughout the day there will be activities for all the family including music and dancing with Madding Crowd, a traditional English village band and demonstrations on the use of herbs in Jane Austen's time in the newly opened kitchen.
The museum is open daily from 10am until 5pm, until the end of August when the times change.
Admission costs £7 for adults and £6 for senior citizens and students. Children aged eight to 16 pay £2 and those younger than that get in for free.
for more information visit www. jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk or call (01420) 083262
10 July 2009
By Jodie Jeynes
A house move may not sound like the stuff of bicentenary celebrations, but for the village of Chawton, near Alton, this week marks the 200th anniversary of the arrival of a very special resident.Jane Austen moved to a cottage on her brother Edward's estate in the Hampshire village in 1809 and spent the last eight years of her life there.
Today the cottage is Jane Austen's House Museum – an important site for the history of English literature.
In this house Jane revised her novels Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility & Northanger Abbey also wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion.
The Museum tells the story of Jane Austen and her family and retains the charm of a village home.
On Sunday the museum held a special event to officially open its £670,000 redevelopment.
The project aims to make the story of Jane's life more accessible to the 1,000s of visitors from all over the world who flock to the house each year.
It includes a new learning centre complete with hands-on activities, the opening of the Austens' old kitchen, returning the drawing room to its original use, a new and large shop in the Granary, an audiovisual presentation on Jane's life and an exhibition exploring the film and television adaptations of Jane Austen's books.
Throughout the day there will be activities for all the family including music and dancing with Madding Crowd, a traditional English village band and demonstrations on the use of herbs in Jane Austen's time in the newly opened kitchen.
The museum is open daily from 10am until 5pm, until the end of August when the times change.
Admission costs £7 for adults and £6 for senior citizens and students. Children aged eight to 16 pay £2 and those younger than that get in for free.
for more information visit www. jane-austens-house-museum.org.uk or call (01420) 083262
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