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With a new movie adaptation of Sense and Sensibility arriving in UK cinemas this September and Netflix’s new Pride and Prejudice series coming later this year, Jane Austen fans have much to enjoy this autumn, and for those seeking the most authentic of Austen adventures, Hampshire is an absolute must-visit.
Jane Austen wrote both Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice – along with all of her globally beloved novels – in Hampshire, the county where she was born, her beloved home, the inspiration for her writing, and the place where she is laid to rest.
Delve into the heart of regency romantic England and discover Hampshire’s Jane Austen heritage, encounter its much-loved literary connections, and imagine oneself within the 250-year-old pages of a regency-era novel.
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Day one: Chawton and Jane Austen’s House
The pretty Hampshire village of Chawton is the bucolically beautiful place where Jane Austen lived in her beloved cottage whilst writing and revising her famous novels.
To set foot inside Jane Austen’s House is to step into the shoes of the cherished English author. It is now a devoted museum that still retains its homely feel throughout its rooms that carefully encapsulate their contents – including her modest walnut writing table.
Jane Austen’s House holds an unparalleled collection of objects relating to Jane Austen's life and works, including First editions of both Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.
A visit to Jane Austen’s House can be combined with a trip to see Chawton House. The Elizabethean manor house that belonged to Jane’s brother Edward, now celebrates early women writers. Visitors can see Austen heirlooms and the Jane Austen Garden Trail can be found in the grounds featuring quotations from Jane’s writings.
EAT: Opposite Jane Austen’s House and named after Jane’s sister, Cassandra’s Cup is a traditional English tearoom offering cakes, snacks, and cream teas.
Opposite Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, The Greyfriar pub serves seasonal food in a cosy country setting.
STAY: The Anchor Inn at Lower Froyle is 10 minutes’ drive from Chawton with classic pub rooms and food.
Day two: Steventon and Winchester
Jane Austen grew up in the north Hampshire village of Steventon where she was born in 1775 and spent the first 25 years of her life, penning the beginnings of both Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
Visitors can see the small 12th century church where Jane’s father was the vicar, and follow in the footsteps of a young Jane Austen on the Overton Jane Austen Trails. Nearby, Tudor mansion The Vyne, was owned Austen family friends the Chutes, and visited by Jane and her family.
From Basingstoke, it’s a 30-minute drive or 20-minute direct train to Winchester, the historic city where Jane lived for the last few weeks before she died.
In Winchester, visitors can see the exterior of the house on College Street where Jane wrote her last poem and died in 1817. Around the corner, inside Winchester Cathedral, Jane Austen’s final resting place is marked by a memorial stone and brass plaque, and outside in the Cathedral Close there is a statue of the writer that was unveiled to mark the author’s 250th birthday in 2025.
EAT: The Ivy Winchester Brasserie on the High Street is a suitably grand spot for lunch or afternoon tea, or for excellent pub fare in a historical setting try The Wykeham Arms and The Old Vine.
STAY: Both The Wykeham Arms and The Old Vine also have rooms, or for some countryside charm head out of town to the quintessentially English Lainston House surrounded by acres of Austenesque Hampshire countryside.
Day three: Southampton
A 15-minute direct train from Winchester, Southampton is where Jane Austen briefly attended boarding school, celebrated her 18th birthday, and lived from 1806 to 1809.
Follow the Jane Austen heritage walking trail through the city, taking in locations connected to the author’s life.
EAT: The White Star Tavern on Oxford Street where passengers and crew of the Titanic wined and dined has a rich history in the city.
STAY: The smallest piglet of The Pig’s portfolio of chic hotels, The Pig in the Wall is a boutique hotel set within Southampton’s historic medieval walls.
Venture further afield to the original Pig hotel near Brockenhurst in the New Forest and you’ll be well located to visit Buckler’s Hard, where Jane and her sister Cassandra often took boat rides up the Beaulieu River to watch the ships being built.
Find out more about Jane Austen in Hampshire
Jane Austen inspired days out in Hampshire
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Related
Jane Austen’s House in the picturesque Hampshire village of Chawton is one of the most important literary sites in the world. It was in this inspiring cottage that Jane Austen’s genius flourished and where she wrote, revised, and had published all six of her globally beloved novels.
Nestled in the heart of Hampshire, one of Southern England's most historic buildings, Winchester Cathedral boasts centuries of English heritage, magnificent architecture, priceless treasures and works of art.
The Vyne is a warm, red-bricked Tudor mansion built in the 16th Century for Lord Sandys, Henry VIII's Lord Chamberlain. It later passed into the hands of the Chute family, who cared for the house and estate for over 300 years. The Vyne was remodelled to its present configuration in the mid-17th Century with the addition of a classical portico and summerhouse, firsts of their kind in England.
Escape to the beauty spot of Buckler’s Hard, where history and stunning scenery come together for an unforgettable trip out in the New Forest countryside.Once a bustling shipbuilding village where ships for Nelson’s Navy were built, the charming village of Buckler’s Hard now a peaceful haven. Relax with a cuppa and a slice of cake, take a ramble beside the Beaulieu River, or delve into the village’s history in the Buckler’s Hard Museum.
