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Published: November 8th 2008
I saw one of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen in Hampshire England. My Jane Austen class went on our study trip to Winchester and Chawton. It was amazing and one of the best days of my entire time here.
We started out at the house on College Street in Winchester where Jane Austen spent her last days and died in Cassandra’s arms. Though we did not get to go inside the house because it is a private home it was interesting to see this house that she spent her last months in. Cassandra had brought Jane to Winchester in 1817 to seek medical care but the doctors could barely help with the pain much less with the real problem (which is now believed to be Addison’s disease). The house is a simple building but it is beside the College and Jane’s bedroom is supposed to have overlooked the headmaster’s garden.
After this we went to Winchester Cathedral to see her grave. I thought it was very interesting that only 4 people attended her funeral, 3 brothers and a nephew. Cassandra did not attend her beloved sister’s funeral because in that time it was not customary for
women to attend. This struck me as very sad because the sisters were so close and loving. Jane Austen’s grave was very interesting as well because though it is a loving memorial it does not mention anything about her being a writer. It is not till later many years after her death that the plaque was added that says Jane Austen was a famous writer. Winchester was a lovely town but I was very excited to move on to see Chawton Cottage and Manor House.
Chawton Cottage was a lovely house though it was much bigger than we had expected. I was most excited to see the little table where Jane had written her letter. I did get to see this and I even touched (though you are not suppose to). It was amazing to see this little table on which she rewrote or composed some of the world’s greatest novels. The house is most wonderful and that I am so glad we got to see it. I can see why Jane was so much happier in Chawton cottage than she was in bath.
Chawton Manor was our next and last stop. Chawton Manor was owned by Jane
Austen’s brother Edward and it was passed down until it fell into disrepair after WWI. We went to see the library which has been started by an America member of JASNA. It is a fantastic library of early women writers. We saw first editions of Cecilia which is where Jane Austen could have gotten the title for Pride and Prejudice. It was a wonderful resource and I hope to one day to go back and research there.
This trip has been so wonderful. It has really been a dream come true. To see where Jane wrote and loved to dearly. I can see why she was so eager to leave Bath and go back to the country. It felt almost as if I was going home, well maybe not to my home but to Jane’s which is just as good : )!
I all so bought a lot of stuff for JASNA NC and myself so now our mantle in the house is completely full of Jane Austen stuff!!!
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Inge Zwerver
non-member comment
Dear Virginia, Just read your story about your Jane Austen trip. Although it's been a year since you've been there, I enjoined reading it! I'm a great Jane-fan myself and this weekend I went to Alton with a friend and visited Chawton and Winchester. Your story is a little bit my story.....Your feelings about that she better be buriesd in the quiet churchyard of Chawton....touching the little writing table ( I did also...) do you still studie in Bath? Thank you for your story and I wish you all the best reading the novels of Jane! (hope my english is not too bad...sorry!) Love Inge Zwerver The Netherlands