Chawton

Today my sis and I went out to Chawton.  This is the village where Jane Austen wrote her mature work.  As it's local we had both seen the house where she lived with her mother and sister Cassandra, but of course we went round again, before lunch at the village pub.

However, what we'd really come to explore was Chawton House Library.  Chawton House was where Jane's brother Edward lived (the one adopted by the local wealthy family).  It is now a research and learning centre for the study of women's writing (1600 to 1830). So after lunch this is where we went.  They have exhibitions, beautiful gardens and host visiting academics from various parts of the world as you can see from this Rhode Island native.

The land belonging to the house is now farmed non-intensively using period methods.  Their 5 shire horses were elsewhere (to my deep disappointment, I shall have to go back) but the rescue chickens who live at the home farm manfully strutted into the blip-breach.  In Extras you can see the tiny table where Jane Austen wrote her novels (from her house) and the graves in the churchyard of her mother (L) and sister Cassandra (R).  Jane, of course, is buried in Winchester Cathedral.

Okay, that's me.  Happy Wednesday evening :))  xx