Jane Austen's House Museum facts for kids
The Jane Austen's House Museum is a small museum located in the village of Chawton, near Alton, in Hampshire, England. This historic 17th-century house, sometimes called Chawton Cottage, was the home of the famous novelist Jane Austen. She lived here for the last eight years of her life. During this time, she wrote, revised, and prepared all six of her well-known novels for publishing. She also started a story called Sanditon here. The museum building has been a very important Grade I listed building since 1963.
Jane Austen's Home in Chawton
Before Jane Austen lived here, the house was home to local farmers. For a short time, between 1781 and 1787, it was even an old pub called The New Inn. Later, Jane Austen's brother, Edward Austen Knight, allowed his mother and sisters to live in the house. This gave them a permanent place to stay.
Jane Austen moved into the house on July 7, 1809. She lived there with her mother, her sister Cassandra, and a close family friend named Martha Lloyd. She stayed in this home until May 1817. Because she was ill, she then moved to Winchester to be closer to her doctor. Jane Austen passed away in Winchester on July 18, 1817. Her mother and sister continued to live in the house after her death. They stayed there until they passed away in 1827 and 1845.
When Jane Austen first arrived at Chawton, she had already written early versions of three novels. These were Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Northanger Abbey. She worked on these novels at the house, making them ready to be published. While living in Chawton, she also wrote three more famous books: Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion.
About the Museum
After Cassandra Austen's death, the house was divided into smaller homes for workers. By the early 1900s, part of the building became a club for workmen. The rest of the house was split into cottages for estate workers. These parts were known as Petty Johns and Chawton Cottage.
The Jane Austen's House Museum was officially started in 1947. For many years, it was managed by the Jane Austen Memorial Trust. In 1948, Edward Knight sold the house for £3,000. The house was then given to a trust in 1949. This was done to honor Thomas Edward Carpenter's son, Lieutenant Philip John Carpenter. He was a soldier who died in Italy in 1944 at the age of 22.
The museum first opened its doors to visitors in July 1949. Today, about 40,000 people visit the museum each year. It is now owned and run by a charity called the Jane Austen's House Museum CIO. This charity aims to help people learn more about English literature, especially the works of Jane Austen.
The museum has many interesting items in its collection. It includes eight music books that belonged to Jane Austen. Some of the music in these books was copied by her own hand. You can also see furniture like a Muzio Clementi pianoforte from 1813. This piano is similar to one Jane Austen owned. There is also a Hepplewhite bureau-bookcase that holds several of her books. The museum also displays other items and furniture from the Austen family.
The museum owns the only three pieces of jewelry known to have belonged to Jane Austen. These are a turquoise beaded bracelet, a topaz cross, and a turquoise and gold ring. The gold ring stayed in Austen's family for a long time. In 2012, it was sold at an auction to the American singer Kelly Clarkson. The British government stopped the ring from leaving the country because it was historically important. With help from a secret donor, the museum was able to buy the ring. It was put on display at the museum in February 2014.
The museum often holds special events. These events help people appreciate Jane Austen's work even more. They also encourage new writers. Sometimes, there are music performances using the Clementi pianoforte. Other times, there are plays or readings based on her novels.
See also
- Chawton House
- Jane Austen Centre, Bath
- Timeline of Jane Austen
Images for kids
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The entrance to Jane Austen's House Museum.
