How Jane Austen's home village is celebrating her 250th birthday

BBC News

a day ago

With its quaint cottages, narrow country lanes and acres of farmland, it is easy to believe little has changed in the Hampshire village of Steventon since Jane Austen was born there 250 years ago.The celebrated author spent the first 25 years of her life in the village, which her nephew once described as "the cradle of her genius".Austen's experiences there influenced her witty writing about love, marriage and money. It is where she produced the first drafts of her novels Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey.To mark the anniversary of her birth, the village is staging a Regency-themed Jane Austen Country Fair on Sunday 4 July.
The country fair is being held in the field where Jane Austen's home, Steventon Rectory, once stood. It was demolished in 1824. All that remains is the well that provided water to the house and a lime tree planted by Jane's brother, James.The sold-out event will feature performances by the Hampshire Regency Dancers and Mayfly Morris, demonstrations of country arts and crafts, Jane Austen-themed talks and performances and traditional sideshows and stalls."We started talking about the country fair 18 months ago, and thought of it as like the village fete on steroids," said Tamsin Raymond, who chairs the organising committee."So we started off at that level and then with the amount of interest from the public and the Jane Austen fans, the whole thing has just taken off, which is great for the village and great for Jane Austen."
Many of Steventon's 250 residents have been involved in planning and organising the event, from baking cakes and making bunting to arranging the delivery of portable toilets.Rachel Cheesman has created an artwork showing places in the village associated with Jane Austen, which will appear on the official tea towel.Charlie Palmer has helped to find sponsors for the country fair, which is raising funds towards the renovation of the 13th Century church of St Nicholas, where Austen worshipped and where both her father and brother were rector."Jane Austen is a titan of English literature, and the fact that Steventon is where it all began is something as a village we're all immensely proud of," he said.
Churchwarden Marilyn Wright gives regular tours to groups of overseas visitors, who can also enjoy tea and cake in the village hall, prepared by local volunteers, in exchange for a donation to the church.The church visitor book shows people have recently travelled to Steventon from as far afield as Iceland, Ghana, the US and Australia - a testament to Austen's global popularity."I think Jane's writing drew inspiration from all the people in the village," said Marilyn. "There are still characters here, and you can imagine her now walking through the village and choosing those characters to put into her novels!"The country fair is the centrepiece of a year of celebrations in Steventon, which will conclude with a special service at the church on 16 December, Austen's actual birthday.
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