Jane Austen is one of England's most celebrated authors, and 2013 marks the 200th anniversary of her most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice. It was first published in 1813. VisitEngland has compiled a list of the locations that featured in the lives of Jane Austen and the characters that she wrote about in her novels so that readers can follow in their footsteps.
Return to Hampshire, England
Jane Austen returned to Hampshire, England, in 1809, following the death of her father. She moved to a village cottage on the Chawton House Estate that her brother Edward had inherited.
It was in Chawton that Jane spent her most prolific writing years. It was also there that she published her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, in 1811 under the mysterious pseudonym, 'A Lady'.
Jane Austen House Museum
Today, the house that Jane Austen lived in on the Chawton House Estate is Jane Austen's House Museum. It contains many of the belongings and furniture of the Austens. It also has some original letters and manuscripts written by Jane Austen..
The Story and the Clothes
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice, Jane's most successful novel, the museum is hosting two exhibitions in 2013: The Story of Pride and Prejudice, in which the novel's illustrations by Thompson will create a trail around the house (running January through March 2013), and She Had Dressed With More Than Usual Care, an exhibition of the costumes worn in the much-loved 1995 BBC adaptation starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle (September through December 2013).
Adult tickets will cost £7.50; Children £2 (under 6s free).
Inspirational Setting
Chawton House, whose ancient church houses the graves of Jane's mother and sister, is today the inspirational setting for the Chawton House Library charity, which has an international reputation for its rare collection of women's writing.
Visitors to the house can experience rare texts in Chawton's inspirational setting, which brings their context to life and features paintings of some of the authors. Guided tours take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:30pm.
They include a thorough guided tour of the house and library. Adult tickets cost £6; Children £3.
Walk in the Footsteps of Jane Austen
This is the fourth in a series on Jane Austen and the places that shaped her life - and the lives of her characters.
For More on the Book
Pride and Prejudice (The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Jane Austen)
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