Jane Austen
Created | Updated Mar 16, 2005
Jane Austen was an English writer during the 18th and 19th century. She was one of the first novelists to write about ordinary people and everyday life. Her genius lies in her observation of people, making her books as entertaining today as they were in her time.
She was born on the 16th December 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire, the 7th child of the parish rector, George Austen. She was very close to her family, especially her only sister, Cassandra.
She lived and wrote about middle-class country life, and although she never married, it is unlikely that she never loved considering it is largely the subject matter of her books.
When she was 26 her father retired and the family moved to Bath. Four years later her father died leaving the family unsettled until 1809 when her and her mother returned to Hampshire to live in a cottage provided by her brother Edward. This house has now been restored to look as it did then and items such as her writing table can be seen. Visitors are also welcome to picnic in her garden during daylight hours.
She moved to Winchester to be near her doctor just a couple months before she died on July 18th 1817 at the age of 42.
Only four of her novels were published during her lifetime... Sense & Sensibility (1811), Pride & Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816). Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published posthumously in 1818 by her brother Henry.
Today her stories have become successful films and television series that have brought her world to life.
Sense & Sensibility was filmed at Montacute house in Somerset, Saltram House near Plymouth (Norland Park), Wilton House In Wiltshire, and Mompesson House in Salisbury.
Pride & Prejudice was filmed at Lyme Park in Cheshire (Pemberley), Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire and Belton House near Grantham, as well as Cathedral close in Salisbury.
All of these properties are open to visitors, as is the Jane Austen centre in Bath... a city which is still very much as she knew it.
She was born on the 16th December 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire, the 7th child of the parish rector, George Austen. She was very close to her family, especially her only sister, Cassandra.
She lived and wrote about middle-class country life, and although she never married, it is unlikely that she never loved considering it is largely the subject matter of her books.
When she was 26 her father retired and the family moved to Bath. Four years later her father died leaving the family unsettled until 1809 when her and her mother returned to Hampshire to live in a cottage provided by her brother Edward. This house has now been restored to look as it did then and items such as her writing table can be seen. Visitors are also welcome to picnic in her garden during daylight hours.
She moved to Winchester to be near her doctor just a couple months before she died on July 18th 1817 at the age of 42.
Only four of her novels were published during her lifetime... Sense & Sensibility (1811), Pride & Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816). Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published posthumously in 1818 by her brother Henry.
Today her stories have become successful films and television series that have brought her world to life.
Sense & Sensibility was filmed at Montacute house in Somerset, Saltram House near Plymouth (Norland Park), Wilton House In Wiltshire, and Mompesson House in Salisbury.
Pride & Prejudice was filmed at Lyme Park in Cheshire (Pemberley), Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire and Belton House near Grantham, as well as Cathedral close in Salisbury.
All of these properties are open to visitors, as is the Jane Austen centre in Bath... a city which is still very much as she knew it.
