Chawton, Home of Jane Austen

Jane Austen died in Winchester and is interred in Winchester Cathedral.  However for several years shortly before she died she lived in Chawton nearby where she wrote and edited such novels as Pride and Prejudice and Emma.  It was a small house with a sweet little garden given to her, her sister and mother to live in when her brother inherited several estates.

This is the house where her brother lived, note the disparity!!!  He had inherited THREE estates but his mother and two sisters shared a tiny house as you will see.

Back to Jane's house where she lived very happily.  It was a tiny house with only a few bedrooms, parlor and dining room, kitchen and bakehouse.  Here are the front parlor, kitchen and dining rooms.

And here is Jane's bedroom which she shared with her sister......

I was impressed with the tiny table where she wrote her famous novels. Imagine a quill pen and using this tiny table to write some of the most famous novels in history.

Outside could be found the bakehouse which now houses Jane's carriage as well as this interesting little dye garden from which the ladies would make the dyes for their clothes.

About a mile down the road in this very pretty little village can be found the church that Jane attended and where her mother and sister are buried.

I have always thought it sad that Jane was separated in death from her mother and sister.  She had spent her whole life with them, always sharing a room with her sister.  It seems sad that her fame would have separated them.  Perhaps one day they will place them together again.