Jane Austen Regency Week in Alton and Chawton
Now this is what we call a party! The towns of Alton and Chawton in Hampshire–Jane Austen, of course, lived in Chawton and it is the location of the Jane Austen’s House Museum–are holding a Jane Austen Regency Week from June 21 through 29, 2008.
Events include lectures, plays, a Regency Supper, a fashion show and craft market, an Open Day at Chawton House (which is not really open to the public on a regular basis), and all kinds of activities. There is a map to follow the “Jane Austen Trail” through Alton and Chawton, a walk that Jane herself made regularly. We’re sending Dorothy to plunder the sofa cushions at AustenBlog World Headquarters once again, just in case we can dig up enough for plane fare. This sounds like a great time for Janeites.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I just returned from a week in Alton & saw the ads for this event. The walk from the market town of Alton to the village of Chawton is amazing: one walks past the shops the M&S (marks & spencers) food stores (wonderful!) the gas stations, past the huge triangular common area (used for games) which is bordered by enormous chestnut trees (would take 3 men to get their arms around the circumference of some of them) which were in bloom in mid-May, risk life & limb trying to get across a crazy roundabout, trying to remember to look left first, not right, then walking down a sort of suburban street with nice houses on one side and a field on the other, then diving under a major highway and…BOOM! you are in brick house thatched roof ye olde quainte village. One street, about 20 houses AND THERE IT IS! Her house, with the window that Edward had bricked up as it faced the post road and the inn (now Cassandra’s Cup, a quainte tea shoppe with tea cups hanging from the ceiling).
Tears came to my eyes when I first saw it. I’m so glad that I hadn’t visited her house the last time I was in England, 20+ years ago, as it made this experience really special.
Another special moment was seeing her plaque in Winchester Cathedral–it’s the first major thing you see upon entering–and realizing the incredibleness of this poor spinster being buried here with the bones of kings and saints and bishops and other VIPs.
June 13th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Happy those who will be able to see and participate in these events.
BBC reports that Jane Austen Museum in Chawton hopes to expand and the expansion plans include renovating Jane Austen’s kitchen, currently not available to the public, and developing a visitors centre beside the house provided the museum gets some £500,000 in lottery funding. And there is a video available, only in Peal Player, so chose the option “Peal Player” and “High quality” to watch it. Here is the link to the BBC news:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire/content/articles/2008/05/12/jane_austen_feature.shtml
June 13th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Oooh, I was thinking of taking a trip to Chawton this weekend. I think I might postpone it for a couple of weeks instead.
June 13th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Sorry! The BBC video is available only in Standard quality.
June 14th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Why did these people not wait until July, when the Jane Austen Society will be in town as we always are for the AGM?