Jane lived in Hampshire for most of her life, except for a time living in Bath.
She visited friends and family in London and Kent, as well as her home county of Hampshire, and went to the south coast for holidays. You can find your travel destinations below for your own Jane Austen pilgrimage or simply to walk in her footsteps.
Deane
The Austen family lived in the Rectory at Deane before moving to Steventon Rectory. This is where their first three children were born. James, George and Henry.
Steventon
The Steventon Rectory where Jane was born no longer exists. It was her home from her birth on 16 December 1775 to the family move to Bath in 1801.
St Nicholas Church, Steventon
George Austen’s church at Steventon, where Jane was christened and worshipped as a child can be found at the top of the hill.
Basingstoke
Jane often went to Basingstoke as it was the closest town to Steventon. She danced at the assembly rooms, shopped in the town, and visited family and friends that lived in the town.
Ibthorpe (near Hurstbourne Tarrant)
Ibthorpe is a small village where Jane’s friends Martha and Mary Lloyd lived. Jane stayed at Ibthorpe House in 1792, which is still standing (and privately owned).
Steventon, Ashe & Deane Churches
The Austen family lived at Deane until moving to Steventon, and Ashe is where Jane’s friends the Lefroy family lived. This circular walk is a wonderful way to see all three places.
The Vyne
Jane often visited the Chute family at the Vyne and her fondest nephew Edward married the niece of the family after her death.
Manydown
Manydown was pulled down in 1961. It was the home of Jane’s friends the Bigg sisters, and it was here that Jane received a proposal of marriage from their brother, Harris Bigg-Wither.
Goodnestone Park
Jane often visited Goodnestone Park when staying with her brother and his wife Elizabeth at their first home, Rowling House.
Godmersham Park
Jane’s brother Edward, inherited Godmersham from his adoptive parents. Jane visited him here for the first time in 1798 and was a frequent visitor. Today the house is rented out and you can visit the Heritage Centre and the church where Jane worshipped.
Bath
Jane lived in Bath from 1801 until her father’s death in 1805.
Jane Austen Centre, Bath
Situated a few doors down from a house the Austen family rented whilst living in Bath, the Jane Austen Centre is a museum. A profitable business, they also run the Jane Austen Festival in Bath held every September.
Sidmouth, Dawlish and Teignmouth
Jane and her family enjoyed a summer holiday in South Devon in 1802.
Ramsgate, Kent
Jane visited her brother Frank at Ramsgate after visiting Edward at Godmersham Park in 1803. It’s also where many of Jane’s Kent relations lived and are buried, on her father’s side of the family.
Lyme Regis
Jane and her family enjoyed holidays in Lyme Regis, with a notable visit in 1804. She used the town of Lyme and the Cobb in her novel Persuasion.
Stoneleigh Abbey
The home of Mrs Austen’s Leigh family, Jane visited Stoneleigh after the death of her father in 1805, and again in 1806 when it was thought Mrs Austen would benefit from an inheritance. The ladies had been staying in Adlestrop, the home of Mrs Austen’s cousin.
Southampton
Jane moved to Southampton to live with her brother Frank and his wife Mary until 1809. Jane’s home at Castle Square, the house she mentions in her letters is no longer there. There is a Jane Austen Walk you can follow to explore the city she knew.
Chawton
Jane moved to Chawton village in 1809 after Edward offered them a home after his inheritance from his adoptive parents.
Jane Austen’s Chawton Cottage
Jane lived happily in Chawton Cottage from 1809 until her death. Now a museum, it is just as Jane left it and such a pleasure to visit her home.
Chawton House
Chawton House is the manor house that Edward Austen inherited along the road from Chawton Cottage. It has a large library and is dedicated to promoting women’s literature.
St Nicholas Church, Chawton
On the estate of Chawton House, St Nicholas is where Jane worshipped whilst living in Chawton and where her sister and mother are buried.
Cheltenham
Jane and Cassandra visited Cheltenham Spa to take the waters when Jane became ill in May 1816.
Winchester Cathedral
Jane took a carriage to Winchester from Chawton in May 1817 to receive medical treatment. She stayed at 8 College Street with Cassandra until her death on 18 July 1817. She is buried in Winchester Cathedral.
