JANE AUSTEN’S CHILDHOOD HOME IS UP FOR SALE
By: No Author Indicated
CAVEAT: Although this article is copied from an advertisement by Country & Town House for the sale of the property, it is not posted here as an advertisement, but information about the history of Jane Austen. Who has US$10,605,000. to buy a house in England anyway?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
JANE AUSTEN’S CHILDHOOD HOME IS UP FOR SALE
Live out your literary dreams in this historic residence
Whether you know every novel by heart or you just like to dream about Mr Darcy, you won’t want to miss this: Jane Austen’s birthplace is now on the market. This truly is a house with remarkable history.
Exterior of Steventon House: white building with sash windows and grey slate roof.
‘There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort,’ Jane Austen wrote in her 1815 novel Emma . But exactly what kind of comfort – and what kind of home? The majestic Steventon House holds the answers: it is here that Austen was born and where she spent her childhood.
Austen lived in Steventon House from 1775 until 1801. In 1826, her brother Edward demolished the original property and replaced it with the handsome Georgian manor you can see (and buy!) today. It has welcomed other prestigious residents including the Duke of Wellington, who acquired it from Edward in 1855.
Living room with bookcases and French doors opening onto a terrace with views of the countryside.
Although the original Steventon House no longer stands, Austen left a marvelous legacy behind her, and it envelops the estate. Austen penned some of her most renowned works here, including Pride and Prejudice , Sense and Sensibility and Northanger Abbey .
Sound exciting? This historic residence could be yours for the rather lofty price of £8.5 million. Tucked away in a tranquil village in Basingstoke, the Grade-II listed property has been refurbished to maximise the elegance of its period features while creating a luxurious family home. You’ll spot stone fireplaces, carved wood and intricate cornicing throughout, with high ceilings and sash windows sustaining a feeling of grandeur.
Wood-panelled living room with cream sofas, orange cushions, glass coffee table and views of the hills.
The bespoke kitchen is particularly striking, and it offers views of the rolling hills. Below is a cellar complete with temperature-controlled wine storage. Upstairs, there are six double bedrooms alongside three delightful attic rooms.
If you’re in need of more space, you’ll find Clover Cottage at the end of the driveway. This enchanting annexe encompasses a lounge, dining room, kitchen and bathroom, plus two bedrooms and a utility room. The Coach House at the rear of the property provides further amenities and accommodates two cars.
Gardens with gravel path and landscaped hedges with wisteria on one side and a line of trees on the other.
While every room in this home is utterly gorgeous, the gardens just might be the star of the show. Cherry trees, wisteria and a rose garden will transport you to a world more magical than a Bridgerton set – but if you’re after contemporary living, you can take a dip in the heated outdoor swimming pool or head to the neighbouring tennis court.
With boundless elegance, reams of space and rural beauty to boot, it’s easy to see how Austen conceived some of her most renowned novels during her time at Steventon House. Wander through the grounds of this estate and you’ll be retracing the steps of one of Britain’s most beloved authors.
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Even though the house is not the original one that Jane Austen lived in, if I had that much money to buy and maintain a home where I would probably only spend a part of a year, I really would consider it just for the feeling of living on that property. Billionaires can live the kind of lives that we common folk can only dream about.
Beautiful house and property. I would rather see it as it looked in 1800 though.
Yes, I would also have liked to see the original, but it would be good to be able to walk the same grounds that Jane Austen did.
What a beautiful place.
Every Mother's Day I spend the day watching "my" movies. One of those is the Jane Austen Book Club.
I have read them all a long time ago. I need to go back & reread.
Having to write a book report on P&P while in high school was the reason I majored in English Literature in university.
I am going to head to the library this weekend and start with her first & go from there.
All her novels are available on line. I posted a link on the "Pages" column on the right on the group home page that has them, besides you could probably find free audiobooks on YouTube, because I have seen that they are also on bilibili. However, I understand the good feeling of sitting in a comfortable place and reading from a real book.
I would love to visit both this and Chawton Cottage, where Austen did much of her writing.
Yes, just to get the "feel" of those places - I'm sure anyone who loves Jane Austen's novels would jump at the chance. I'll bet there are already "Jane Austen's England" tours available. If not, the English tour industry is missing the boat.
I believe such tours do exist.
Glad to know that - not for myself because my travelling days are over.
A visit to Bath is on my bucket list.
A wonderful town. Incredible Roman attractions, exceptional food, numerous museums and fabulous architecture.
We stayed in Bath for more than a week on our last trip to England. It is wonderful. We also took 5 great day trips from Bath, including Stonehenge, the Cotswolds and Salisbury.
I regret that the only time I was in the UK, more than half a century ago, I didn't seek such a tour.
My time there was spent more in London and north to Stratford, Coventry, the potteries, Manchester and across North Wales to Caernarfon and Llanfair.P.G. More of a "Shakespearian" trip than an "Austen" one.
The Cotswolds are also on my bucket list. So picturesque.
I don't know if you can find it, but there's a good documentary by Lucy Worsley that aired on PBS here, about Austen's life and the places she'd lived. I can watch it on Youtube. Maybe there's a platform to which you have access that streams it.
What is the title of the documentary?
I think you'll like this documentary about her homes, if you can open it. When a partial screen comes on to stop the video, just X it out and click the arrow and the documentary will continue. ]
LINK->
The Untold Story of Jane Austen/Behind Closed Doors. I believe there may be a series of episodes about Austen, but I'm not sure. I've never figured out how Youtube organizes its library of videos, or even if it does.
I was able to open it. Thank you.
That was a fantastic video. Makes me want to visit & walk in her footsteps.
I know the feeling.
On bilibili there are PAGES of Jane Austen videos.
I noticed that - think I will be watching some this weekend.
There's a good one about Jane Austen's wit.