Jane Austen tourism recommendations?

July 31, 2022 3:30 PM

I'll be in London first week of Sept. and can easily get to Bath. Looking for any good Jane Austen tourism recommendations. Walking tours? I'm not only interested in factual experiences, but if there are places she may have often been that are relatively unchanged where I can go and breathe in the atmosphere, that would be lovely too. Thank you!
posted by moonmoth to Travel & Transportation around London, England (5 answers total)

At the risk of being obvious The Jane Austen Centre, Gay Street, Bath will serve you cream teas with/out Mr Darcy with/out cakes with/out prosecco for £10-£20. A stroll up towards Royal Crescent via The Circus will help shake down the scones. Don't forget the fringed parasol.
Me, when in Bath I always make time to walk a ways along the tow-path of the Kennet & Avon canal which was being completed in Austen's time.
posted by BobTheScientist at 2:06 AM on August 1, 2022

Dang! Looks like you'll miss the Bath Jane Austen Festival 9th-18th Sep 2022 by a week.
posted by BobTheScientist at 2:10 AM on August 1, 2022

It’s been many years since I’ve been to Bath, but I believe I did a walking tour run by the Jane Austen Centre. I’d be surprised if there aren’t several other walking tour operators in the city. On your own, you can see (the outside of) 4 Sydney Place where Jane lived, stroll through Sydney Gardens, and visit the Assembly rooms where Jane would have mingled in society and which now house an excellent fashion museum.
Pick up a bath bun to nibble on, although be sure not to “disorder your stomach” with too many as Jane did!

If you have time, I highly recommend a visit to the Jane Austen house at Chawton, about an hour and a half from London.
posted by Naanwhal at 5:34 AM on August 1, 2022

Seconding that you should definitely include Chawton!

Jane Austen died in Winchester and is buried in the Cathedral there. Winchester is a nice town to visit and is only about half an hour past that by car (also available by rail). There are some lovely walks in the South Downs.
posted by Preserver at 9:04 AM on August 1, 2022

Response by poster: Thanks again for the good advice. For future seekers, there's a free audio walking tour, In the Footsteps of Jane Austen. Along the way, when you're on Gravel Walk, don't miss the small, restored Georgian garden (it's not on the audio tour) behind the Circus.
posted by moonmoth at 4:23 AM on September 1, 2022