Celebrate Jane Austen and meet the women writers who shaped—and were shaped by—her wit, words, and world in our JA250 anniversary exhibition.
I listened to the recent Chawton House podcast in which Kim says that, “This exhibition places Jane Austen amongst her sister artists – the novelists and playwrights who inspired her, and those who, in turn, took influence from her.”
Essentially, Jane was inspired by artists around her, both male and female professionals, and those within her own family. She loved the theatre and read lots of books from her fathers library, which numbered around 500 when the family moved to Bath and they had to be sold.
Jane wrote her first pieces of what we now call her Juvenilia when she was seven years old, so she was developing her talent from an early age.
Highlights for Jane Austen Fans
The exhibition features five pages of a play that Jane shortened and wrote out called Sir Charles Grandison. It’s a short version of a very long play (which I really did try and read unsuccessfully!) that Jane wrote out for her own production. You can see lots of blotted ink spots and Jane’s usual crossings out.
It was one of Jane’s favourite novels. The story goes that Harriet is abducted by the rakish Sir Hargrave Pollexfen. She is then rescued by Grandison who feels himself bound by an Italian woman named Clementina. Many volumes later, Clementina refuses him, leaving him to marry Harriet. (And who wouldn’t want to be called Clementina?!).
Another nice item is the copy of Emma that Jane gifted to her friend Anne Sharpe, one of the twelve presentation copies she received. Anne was a governess to Edward’s children at Godmersham, and she and Jane stayed in touch throughout their lives. Jane wrote a letter to Anne before she died, and Cassandra gifted a lock of Jane’s hair to her after Jane’s death, which tells you how close they were.
Jane encourages Anne to marry in one of her letters, and included the governess Anna Taylor in Emma, who eventually finds happiness by marrying Mr Weston. So was Jane thinking of Anne at the time?
The Exhibition
Opening with the Circular Library, of which Jane was a member, this cabinet includes books that Jane borrowed and were her favourites. It shows you the range of Jane’s reading, as we know she liked Fordyce Sermons to Young Women, as well as the Belinda and Cecilia novels that are shown in the ‘Usual Suspects’ display.
In this copy of Belinda, you can see her sat in a chair with a woman begging at her feet. It’s all very dramatic as text reads, “Belinda sunk back into a chair: Lady Delacour flung herself on her knees before her.
Frances Burney, Maria Edgeworth, and Ann Radcliffe feature here, alongside lesser known authors such as Jane West and Susan Ferrier.
As a side line, I found Mysteries of Udolpho that Catherine Moreland reads in Northanger Abbey, and loved it. This next section recommends books by other successful novelist of that time.
On the wall is a really interesting graph of what female authors earned at that time, and Jane shows as somewhere in the middle.
Sir Charles Grandison by Jane Austen
The main exhibition room mainly features the arts, including women from the theatre that were popular actresses of that time.
Here you can find Sir Charles Grandison that Jane wrote and in the adjacent cabinet is Anne Sharpe’s copy of Emma.
Ladies with Accomplishments
As the boards tell you, there was a shortage of men in Jane’s time as the war with France claimed thousands of men to fight the war, some of whom never came home. Therefore, the marriage market was competitive which is why women needed to learn skills to impress the men.
Here you can find music books and sheets, sketch books, novels, and other books that ladies have created to enjoy their hobbies and impress the men. Jane was musical, could sing and play and the piano, and even wrote her own music!
To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.
There is a heat wave happening here at the moment, and the gardens are beautiful though somewhat dry. As we walk up and beyond the house you can see for miles across the Hampshire fields into the distance, and we can only hear the birds tweeting. Alongside the flowers, there are herbs and vegetables, including huge rhubarb bushes.
As I walk amongst the fruit trees, I am reminded of a talk by the head gardener who told us that after the apple tree was pruned, to check it was done correctly, a hat was thrown up into the branches and if it came down cleanly the pruner was paid.
It really is quite peaceful here and I can see why Jane was so happy living in Chawton and why her writing thrived.
This is until we turn the corner to the courtyard for lunch, and find the courtyard quite full. We chat with the JASNA group visiting from the USA, and luckily for us, we’re invited to share a table with our new friends.
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Your Visit to Chawton
Chawton is a small village outside Alton, Hampshire (important as there are two!) The train station is beyond the top of the High Street, so it’s easier and faster to get a taxi. There is a bus stop that drops you off outside the village (ask the driver), and from there it is around a 20 minute walk to the centre of the village on the flat.
You will find the Jane Austen House Museum across from the pub and Cassandra’s Cup teashop. The museum (and others) do lovely walks around the village. A good time to visit is during Jane Austen Regency Week which is the ten-day annual event.
Chawton House is further along the lane, another 15-20 minutes walks. It’s clearly signed and the long drive is broken by a trip to St Nicholas and a visit to Jane’ s statue. Jane worshipped in this church whilst she lived here, and it is open daily to all faiths. If you are short of time to tour the House, you can still visit the tea room and shop. Just walk up the drive and enter around the side or through the front door.
TAGS: Exhibition Review, Sisters of the Pen, Jane Austen, Chawton House, Gardens, Flowers, Herbs, Fruit Trees, Edward Austen Knight, Alton, Hampshire, Elizabeth, St Nicholas Church, Chawton Village.
Lovely Links:
RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) have partnered with Chawton House this year which benefits its members with free days.
Chawton House podcast can be found in a number of places online.
