I thought of Jane Austen today on the eve of the 205th anniversary of her death in Winchester. At only 42 years of age, she left us a legacy so rich that her genius as a writer is regaled to this day. Several days prior to her death on July 18, 1817, she wrote the following poem about the Winchester races.
Ascot Heath Race for His Majesty’s Gold Plate, James Pollard, 1826, Yale Center for British Art, Wikimedia Commons. While this is not an image of the Winchester racing stands, one can gain a good idea of the size of the crowds and their enthusiasm.
When Winchester Races
When Winchester races first took their beginning
It is said the good people forgot their old Saint
Not applying at all for the leave of Saint Swithin
And that William of Wykeham’s approval was faint.
The races however were fixed and determined
The company came and the Weather was charming
The Lords and the Ladies were satine’d and ermined
And nobody saw any future alarming.–
But when the old Saint was informed of these doings
He made but one Spring from his Shrine to the Roof
Of the Palace which now lies so sadly in ruins
And then he addressed them all standing aloof.
‘Oh! subjects rebellious! Oh Venta depraved
When once we are buried you think we are gone
But behold me immortal! By vice you’re enslaved
You have sinned and must suffer, ten farther he said
These races and revels and dissolute measures
With which you’re debasing a neighboring Plain
Let them stand–You shall meet with your curse in your pleasures
Set off for your course, I’ll pursue with my rain.
Ye cannot but know my command o’er July
Henceforward I’ll triumph in shewing my powers
Shift your race as you will it shall never be dry
The curse upon Venta is July in showers–‘.
– Jane Austen
About the poem:
When it was written:
“Jane Austen wrote this poem just two days before her death, on 15 July 1817, which was the day of the Winchester Races, a fashionable race day and also St. Swithin’s Day. – Jane Austen’s House Museum
St Swithin:
St Swithin, a 9th century bishop, patron saint of Winchester, is linked through long tradition to the idea that if it rains on his feast day, it will continue to rain for 40 days and nights. The summer of 1817 was notably wet…” – Jane Austen’s House Museum
Venta:
Winchester’s old name, which dates from Roman times.
About the Winchester Races during the 18th-19th Centuries:
During both centuries races, such as the Winchester Races, welcomed all people from every segment of society, whether they were betting or enjoying the social events. Groups of hairdressers and milliners traveled from London and Bath to Winchester during their respective racing seasons to provide fashionable services (and between 1781 and 1790 the ‘finest assortment of French Pomades and coloured powders’). London’s season, linked to the sessions in Parliament, began in February at the start of the opening session. Many did not arrive until after the fox-hunting season at the end of March. Horse racing was an important component of each social season in the aforementioned cities.
The Winchester Races were held in late June/early July each season, from Tuesday until Thursday during one week. The city’s annual social calendar revolved around the social seasons of winter and summer. Amusements ranged from balls, assemblies, cockfighting, public breakfasts, fairs, etc. During race week, public breakfasts and balls were held daily. An annual performance by the Winchester College boys included a reading of a selection of prose and a music festival were also organized.
A View of the Road to Newmarket Races, James Pollard, Yale Center of British Art, Wikimedia Commons.While this scene is about the crowds going to the Newmarket Races, one can imagine a similar group heading for Winchester in 1817.
These annual races drew people from all walks of life for nearly a fortnight. Genteel society took advantage of the social events to show off their finery, of which, as previously mentioned, certain working groups took full advantage. The change in racing venues provided an opportunity for visitors to move from a stifling London to fresher more rural environments, with the added attraction of more gambling opportunities.
Royalty was at times present at the Winchester races, but the ‘the bulk of its pleasurable amenities was utilised by the county gentry. Winchester society was well patronised by the Duke of Chandos and the Pawlett family (Marquesses of Winchester), as well as a host of others who were noted in the newspapers..’ – Proc. Hampshire Field Club Archived. Soc. 54,1999, 127-145 (Hampshire Studies 1999) LEISURE AND SOCIETY IN GEORGIAN WINCHESTER, By M COOPER
I don’t know what happened to Jane Austen’s original copy of the poem. This site by the Jane Austen’s House Museum offers a facsimile in her sister Cassandra’s hand. (Link to the Winchester Verses). On 24 May 1817, she left Chawton with Cassandra and moved into lodgings in Winchester to be near Dr Lyford at the County Hospital. Her illness however rapidly worsened and she died on 18 July 1817.
“The poem, which is written in cross-rhymed quatrains, was initially suppressed by [Jane’s] Victorian-era family, and later released in edited versions that changed words and punctuation (including one version that altered the word “dead” to “gone”. They thought that joking about St. Swithin and horse racing and death would be dimly viewed by the public.” –Kelly R. Fineman
Austen Family Poetry:
Jane’s family left a legacy of letters, poems, riddles, and charades, which are charmingly captured by David Selwyn in his book, The Poetry of Jane Austen and the Austen Family. Below is a link to a youtube video on the Winchester City Museum site, in which another one of Jane’s poems is captured.
Jane Austen's World 
Even till the end, Jane’s wit was sharp!
I guess we can’t blame St. Swithin for the rain in Maryland.
denise
I thank you for this remembrance . I have been more upset this last few months as so many writers production companies especially in the UK have just taken literary license on her work. I am particularly upset with Andrew Davies and what he did with Sandition and the fact that ITV had cancelled it before PBS showed it. We the fans tried to have a second season in hopes that the sexually explicit parts would be changed . Instead what we have is an actor Theo James deciding for Jane Austen and leaving the series as the love interest. There was season 2 and 3 coming but it is not at all Jane Austen and it has ruined what we all had hoped for. Theo James was arrogant on his statement forgetting the fans pay for programs on PBS by fundraising so we get Jane Austen series like Pride and Prejudice my favorite . Now Theo is in Mr. Malcolm’s List which is supposed to be Jane Austen like but not really. When are those who do not understand stop using her name. I am heartbroken to keep seeing this happening instead of honoring a classic. Theo James owes the PBS members a better explanation and Andrew Davies wrote some very questionable things into the series including racial comments. My hope is someone will do something to really clear what could have been a beautiful love story that cannot for now be. Rose Williams understands what the fans did and my hope is she gets wonderful chances and that someday another writer who loved Jane Austen will try to do the story as it might be told with Charlotte and Sidney being a version of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy . Theo James was not up to the task. If that cannot happen then leave it unfinished but do not hurt it. Our beloved Jane who died way too young deserves all our love and support . Maybe we need to have our voices heard. ITV or BBC does not have the dollars for series and we buy many series from them. We pay to our local outlets to keep our favorites on the air. It would be nice if that were better explained to the writers and actors who do need us as they do the classics. There was only one Jane Austen and she wrote 6 books and I love them all but my favorite will always be the love of Elizabeth and her Mr. Darcy. Thank you so much.
The anniversary of Jane Austen’s death always brings her sister Cassandra to my mind, and how bereft she surely felt at her beloved sister’s passing. The two were so close, such confidantes and shared so much that even though Jane’s death was not totally unexpected by the time it occurred, the reality of it must have affected Cassandra the most. Assuming neither married, it’s not unreasonable to suppose that they intended to spend the rest of their lives together and had probably made their tentative plans for the future.
I have also been thinking about Jane lately. I knew she had laid down her pen on her books, but I’m so glad she picked it up again to write this poem. As Denice put it so we’ll, she was witty to the end. To think that this was written just 2 days before her death makes it even more fascinating!
Thank you.
Lovely. I believe that the theory is that Austen did not write this with her own pen, but dictated it to Cassandra, which is why it is in Cassandra’s handwriting. I don’t think Jane was strong enough at this point to write it out herself. I could be wrong, though. It does show her indomitable spirit, that she was still observing and laughing at the world so close to her death.
For an inexpensive book with Austen’s poems and favorite poems (including ones she quotes or references in her novels), check out Jane Austen: Poems and Favourite Poems in the Everyman’s Poetry series: http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Austen-Eman-Everyman-Poetry/dp/0460879596/
Dear Vic: I think today I am still sadder because it is the anniversary and I have questions of why did Andrew Davies get permission to work on Sandition ? ITV had very low viewers so it had to be obvious and it appears that actual advertising dollars are not the same as we have in the U.S . media markets especially LA or New York. My PBS stations do their own fundraising for many series that are not paid by the national PBS programs so for us this has been an even more questionable situation. We are strong Jane Austen lovers and we’re so hopeful that Sandition would be in her tradition. I am not sure if Andrew Davies understood the liberties he took with both sexually explicit material and also some racial comments involving a Pineapple Imogi. PBS has been tagged with some of that but they simply help raise the response with close to 90,000 signatures for a second season because the last one was a disaster and ended with nothing of Jane Austen. Only after with Britbox and ITV along with PBS money raised was it given season 2&3. One or two days later Theo James let the world know he would not be returning and it ended as he thought it should. He basically ruined Sandition since he was the love interest and has no understanding of what he did and because he is private has no contact information so no one can reach him. I checked him out and discovered he did interviews with a series call Divergence. Everything has sexual or though funny not very adult behavior. He is young and handsome so okay. but if you are serious about acting understand when you have put your foot in your mouth. He is married and has one baby. His wife was on Sandition and in a sense was the spoiler. How can anyone ever let him know that good looks and even decent acting is not enough. So far many things like Time Traveler’s Wife has been cancelled. He is not the lead in Mr. Malcolm’s List which again is supposed to be Jane Austen like . It is only in movies and though good reviews poor box office. It most likely is typical of UK made features as it does not have the budget that the US media market uses and the HBOMAX streaming has not looked at. I think we need to start speaking out and making it clear that allowing what happened with Sandition or some of the remakes will not make it and please leave the classics alone. My hope for Theo James is he will become adult enough to learn something and do the right thing . He could have a wonderful acting career but when you walk away from Jane Austen as the male lead and Rose Williams the female lead understood. No one was hurt more by what she is left with and so unfairly. I do not understand a man in his thirties who lives so private a life you cannot touch him and yet on interviews he is really crude. Oh well. Sorry I am very sad today and I have a big birthday in 8 days. I am speaking as a great grandmother though I still work and wanting my 4 great granddaughters to enjoy Jane Austen as I have and all the other women in my family. I had my Mr. Darcy and wish the same for every young woman who wishes to have one. Thank you All the best Anita
Great article, thank you! Austen was such a master of prose that I tend to forget she wrote plenty of poetry, too, even if not for publication. I’ll be snagging the David Selwyn book you mentioned