Gentle Readers: Jane Austen Pilgrimage III: Jane Austen House Museum and the Writing Class I Took There is Christ Steward’s third post on her travels to England last summer. The author of the blog, Embarking on a Course of Study, Chris has been closely examining the life and novels of Jane Austen for well over a year.
We arrive at the magical day I’d been dreaming of for many years!
The day after my visit to Winchester I woke up in my charming little room at the Alton Grange so happy because I’d slept well but I had the best day of all ahead of me: a visit to the Jane Austen House Museum – Jane’s home – also known as Chawton Cottage.
This is where Jane’s writing life came back to life, after the grief over her father’s death and moving around to several places in Bath, the rectory in Adlestrop and also Stoneleigh Abbey. Finally she had a place that felt like home again—peaceful, beautiful, with a garden she loved. And it was here that she resurrected previous work and wrote new novels that were subsequently published, two posthumously.
It was a gorgeous day!
I thought I could take a taxi to Chawton (the map on the Jane Austen House Museum – JAHM from now on – site wasn’t at all clear about how to walk there, in my opinion. It looks easy, but once you’re standing there with the map and no real street signage, it’s not), but there was some conference in the area that was monopolizing all of them so I took the bus right outside the hotel.
I was told too late about the taxi problem to catch the right bus, so had to wait an hour for the next, fretting, I don’t mind telling you, all the while about how late I would be for the class. It started at 11:00 and the bus didn’t come until 10:50. I really didn’t want to walk in late to the class and miss anything.
But, lucky me, the bus driver was the same gentleman who had dropped me off the night before! I told him where I was going and he said he’d get me as close as he could, which he did. I was dropped off at a roundabout (middle of nowhere it looked like) and told to cross it to the other side and keep going.
To read more about the visit, the class, a charming tearoom, visiting Cassandra’s grave: http://www.embarkingonacourseofstudy.com
Jane Austen's World 
Really! I do not like being dangled in mid-air over an advert for a bank
with no indication of how the tale was to be finished. Very small-minded
of the editor of this site.
A pronouncement that this was strickly a teaser to promote the bank
would have been appreciated. Sorry I am not personally interested in
such foolishness.
Margaret, this is a free blog platform. Because the service is free, wordpress places an ad, over which I have no control, at the bottom of my posts. Chris provided a live link that would have taken you to her blog, where she finished writing about her interesting experience. While I know the ads are an inconvenience, I have a disclaimer in my sidebar which explains that I make no money off my blog.
I subscribe to her site and read the whole story at once. I think the above comment to have been ill thought out and poorly expressed what you were intending for us to read. I am deeply sorry someone would be so mannerless to say the things she said. I would like to say that it was an excellent read and I appreciate you putting it here. Bravo to a gal who can take the time to fulfill what so many of us would like to do, spend a year abroad studying Jane Austen and seeing the places she frequented or lived in.
Thank you, Karen. Your comment is most appreciated.
I do so love this blog of yours. I really loved this article. I’ve been to the Georgian house museum in Edinburgh and the Jane Austen museum in Bath, but living in Australia as I do, it might be some while before I get to Chawton.
absolutely in agreement with Caroline, Thank you again Vic for brightening up my mornings with your splendid details of JA’s life and times.
I went on my own personal pilgrimage in July. I will never forget my emotions at entering Jane’s house in Chawton or her grave in Winchester Cathedral. But I have other places still to visit: Steventon and Bath.
Thanks for your “precious” posts, Vic. MG
Well, re-reading my comment it seems I entered Jane’s grave! :-/
Sorry. I meant “…or visiting her grave in …”
Happy New Year to you and your readers, Vic :-)
I’m slightly miffed.. I don’t get the bank advert I get an advert for British Telecom!!!!!!! selling me broadband. I’m missing out here. It’s not fair.
I’ve just read the whole of Christ Steward’s post at her ,”embarking on a course of study,” link. Lovely article.Your enthusiasm and love come across. I didn’t know they do writing courses at Chawton.
By the way the pub food at The Greyfriars is very very good. I have had a couple of lunches there with friends and we have always thoroughly enjoyed the food. The beer, brewed by Fulllers, is a great traditional English beer and worth trying.
Brilliant! It’s true, we should all be miffed…
One never knows when pop up publicity could serve a purpose.
O to be at Chawton behind a creaking door. Just a sharpened quill and a view from the window.
I am so envious of the guest post and many of you to have done your ‘pilgrimages’. It is something on my list. But at least I can glean some details from others’ experiences.
Thanks for the post!
Hmmm, I got no ad either. Should I be miffed? :) Thanks Vic for all you do here. I love reading the posts and even advertisements won’t keep me away.
I live in a rural area of the southern USA, and am probably one of maybe 10 people here who have even heard of Jane Austen (the others, I hope, would be the literacy teachers @ school.) You will never know how much pleasure this blog gives me. I feel like I have found some wonderful friends, and can vicariously experience my dreams here. I LOVE the internet! Thank you, thank you.