Posted by Caroline on Saturday, 27 June 1998, at 7:56 a.m.
I went to Chawton earlier this month. I drove- it's easy to find the village and JA's house as they are very well signposted. You can also get there by bus from Winchester, Petersfield , etc. I'll see if I can find that info.
Jane Austen's House, Chawton Cottage, is at the road junction of the A31 and A32, right in the middle of the village. You cannot park at the house, but the municipal car-park is very close, and well signposted.
It's open every day except Christmas Day, from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. It costs 2.50 to get in. You can see the house itself, the garden, the bakehouse and the barn.
The giftshop is quite comprehensive, with almost all the current editions of her novels, the books about her, copies of the BBC videos in PAL and VHS, recordings of her music, and some sheet music, plus the usual gifty things with pictures of the house on them. The Postcard choice wasn't huge ;-). The prices were very reasonable- the same as normal U.K. high-street prices. BUT, since the pound is very strong against the (Canadian) dollar at present, I worked out that some of the books would actually be cheaper (just a little!) for me through Bookserve. I did buy tapes of her music recorded by the London Box and Fir Company, and very lovely they are, too.
Cassandra's Cup, across the road from Chawton Cottage, does light lunches, tea and cakes etc. There are pub lunches available in...the Pub.
To get to the church, stand in front of Cassandra's Cup, opposite the Cottage, and take the road that bears round to the left, for about 500 yards. When you see the church, you'll realise that it is actually within the grounds of Chawton House, brother Edward's residence. The Church is pretty, but not actually very extraordinary, and you won't find a pew labelled "Jane Austen sat here" or anything, because the insides were thoroughly renovated in Victorian times. But there are memorials to various Austens and Knights, and Cassandra's and Mrs A's graves around at the back.
Chawton House is not open to the public, at least, not yet. It's actually undergoing a major face-lift, and is a "hard-hat only" area. They let me take pictures from a distance, because I asked nicely, but honestly, there isn't much to show you, apart from scaffolding! The very interesting-looking and very old "Old Manor House" , and the very posh-looking "Home Farm" are both private residences.
As I walked back from Chawton House to the Cottage I got a good view of the Avenue of trees that runs almost parallel to the road, and saw loads of other lovely cottages with roses round the door and fruit trees in the garden...it's a really pretty village.