“…in a state of alteration, perhaps of improvement”
All those scratch-off tickets that Bridget Jones bought are going to a good cause. Chawton Cottage will receive £500,000 from the Lottery Fund for improvements.
A museum spokesman said: “This time we are aiming to fulfil, and hopefully exceed, 21st century visitor expectation.
“The money will be spent moving all sales out of the house to create an even more homely feel, and, to enable the long awaited reopening of the kitchen.
“A new learning centre will perform the function of the old Granary meeting room and will have the added bonus of some interactive exhibits while demand for an audio/visual facility will also be realised.” The Heritage Lottery Fund award comes as the museum prepares to mark next year’s bicentenary of Jane Austen’s arrival in Chawton in 1809.
We can’t wait to see the improvements!
June 26th, 2008 at 4:28 am
Oooh, any idea when the work will be finished?
June 26th, 2008 at 11:06 am
If they officially opened it on the day she actually moved in, that would be perfect.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:42 am
That’s wonderful - what a windfall! I love it when money finds its way to good causes (and it certainly makes one feel better about all those scratch-offs.)
June 26th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
What good news for Chawton House! For those who were planning to visit it (if it is a long travel), think it again. It would be better to wait until the improvements are done.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Ive never seen the picture of Jane Austen that was used in the article before. Is it a recent interpretation by a modern artist - can anyone help me with its origins?
June 27th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
“Ive never seen the picture of Jane Austen that was used in the article before. Is it a recent interpretation by a modern artist - can anyone help me with its origins?”
Heh, it’s a mistake. It’s a picture of Anna Austen Lefroy, Jane’s niece. Mistakes of this kind are not uncommon even the august BBC makes similar mistakes in a recent article in the Radio Times about Miss Austen Regrets it showed “contemporary portraits” of Harris Bigg and J.A. - except it wasn’t, the picture of J.A was Lizar’s engraving for the Memoir, circa 1870.