Winchester is throwing a year-long birthday celebration in 2025 for one of the world’s most famous authors – and Jane Austen fans from across the globe are invited to join in.
Jane Austen’s story
Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in the Old Rectory in Steventon which, sadly, no longer exists, but the county has plenty more to tempt Austen fans. Hampshire was not only her birthplace, but its people, and the society in which she moved, provided inspiration for many of her novels.
She lived in Steventon for the first 25 years of her life. Upon her father's retirement, the family relocated to Bath where they stayed from 1801 to 1806. After his death the Austens returned to her beloved Hampshire, moving first to lodgings in Southampton, then to the village of Chawton in 1809. They were offered Chawton Cottage, now Jane Austen's House, by their elder brother Edward, who inherited estates in Chawton, Steventon and Godmersham from rich relatives. It was here that Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Emma were published.
When illness struck, she moved to Winchester under the care of Giles Lyford, a surgeon at the County Hospital. Lodgings were arranged for her and Cassandra at No. 8 College Street. She died on 18 July 1817, aged 41 years old. She was laid to rest in Winchester Cathedral.
Marking the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, Winchester presents a host of special events, tours and exhibitions to celebrate the remarkable life and works of this beloved Hampshire-born novelist.
Step inside the house where Jane Austen spent the last weeks of her life
In the Summer of 2025, Winchester College will open No. 8 College Street to the public for the first time as part of a worldwide celebration of the anniversary. Through displays and artefacts, visitors will learn about the author’s connections with the city and the story of her last days. This event is sold out, but spaces may become available in the future due to returned tickets, so keep checking back.
If you didn't manage to get tickets to No. 8 College Street, the house is also hosting a Regency Embroidery Workshop. Under the expert guidance of Hand & Lock’s skilled tutors, students will create a unique design inspired by Regency-era fashion and decorative motifs. Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced embroiderer, this course is designed to be accessible and inspiring for all skill levels.
Next to No. 8 stands Winchester College, which is staging an outdoor performance of Pride and Prejudice by the Chapterhouse Theatre Company. The performance will be in the College's tranquil Warden's Garden, with its Regency border, wild woodland, and private section of one of the most famous chalk stream's in the world providing an idyllic setting for a magical evening of theatre.
Take time for reflection at Jane Austen's final resting place
Jane Austen is buried in the north nave aisle of Winchester Cathedral under a memorial stone. Visitors are invited to leave letters and flowers next to Jane Austen’s brass memorial plaque, at the side of her grave. There are many candle stands around the cathedral, as well as quiet chapels, if you would like a quiet moment to sit and reflect.
Winchester is kicking off the anniversary celebrations in March with The Storytellers. This enchanting and immersive son et lumière event celebrates the rich tapestry of literature, poetry, and the oral traditions.
In May, you are invited to a Regency Ball. Feel transported to another time and enjoy an unforgettable evening with family and friends; what better way to honour the life of Jane Austen?
From May, visitors with an Annual Pass will have a special opportunity to view the handwritten manuscript of Jane Austen’s poem about the death of her close friend. The Angelic Women: The friendship of Jane Austen and Anne Lefroy exhibition is located in the Kings & Scribes exhibition area. During your visit, be sure to go on a Jane Austen guided tour, offering an intimate and often amusing insight into her life and connections within the Cathedral. Families can take part in the interactive family trail, collected for free from the Welcome Desk.
If you are looking to find out more about the novels of Jane Austen, book tickets to one of the talks taking place in 2025. Professor Michael Wheeler will be exploring the openings of Jane Austen’s novels; Dr Gillian Dow will be looking in detail at the choices Austen made when concluding her fictions.
In October, Winchester Cathedral will hold the Jane Austen Anniversary Service, featuring beautiful music, readings and prayers. This will be a ticketed service; booking is not yet open.
October will also see the unveiling of the Jane Austen Statue. The Cathedral Chapter have worked in close collaboration with Martin Jennings, one of the country’s leading figurative sculptors to develop a memorial to Austen, located in the Inner Close. Date to be confirmed.
Visit exhibitions and events at Hampshire Cultural Trust venues
At The Arc in Winchester, Beyond the Bonnets gives a voice to those who were overlooked by many but not neglected in Austen’s novels: working women. This unique exhibition has been specially created for her landmark anniversary year. It explores the untold stories not only of working women in her novels, but those of real-life women from Regency Hampshire, whose lives mirrored her fictional characters.
Winchester’s Great Hall will provide a majestic backdrop for a Regency Ball. The event promises an enchanting evening of dance, drinks and delicious food, as well as live music of the era, dance cards and a silhouettist for an authentic Regency feel.
For those interested in the iconic fashion of the Regency era, visit the Great Hall for a Regency Fashion Show. The evening will include models wearing Regency garments displayed on the runway, demonstrations of all the many layers of clothing for both day and evening wear, talks from experts on the subject and a chance to see Jane Austen's very own pelisse.
City Museum, just a short walk from Jane’s final resting place in Winchester Cathedral, will be hosting a summer of Austen themed events and activities. There are only a handful of items that survive today that actually belonged to Jane, and at City Museum visitors will also be able to see three of her personal possessions – two purses and her personalised ivory spool case.
Discover the cottage where all six beloved novels were created
Explore the new exhibitions and events at Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, the most treasured site dedicated to the writer in the world. Her home for the last eight years of her life and where she lived, wrote and published her novels, its anniversary line-up launched in October 2024 with the opening of a new permanent exhibition, Jane Austen and the Art of Writing, which celebrates and centres Jane Austen as a ground-breaking and ambitious writer in the very house where she created her six beloved novels.
Also new for 2025 is Austenmania! This exhibition looks back to 1995, an proved to be an astonishing year of film and TV adaptations that changed the Austen landscape forever. The exhibition will showcase two original Pride and Prejudice transmission scripts from the Andrew Davies Archive and handwritten notes on the production from the Sue Birtwistle Archive.
Following on from the Pride and Prejudice Festival in January, Jane Austen's House celebratory festival series will run throughout 2025, including Sense & Sensibility Festival (1-11 May), Emma Festival (12-20 July), Persuasion & Poetry Festival (12-21 September) and Jane Austen’s Birthday Celebration Week (13-21 December). Keep up to date with the latest ticket announcements here.
Explore the legacy of female writers at Chawton House
Chawton House was owned by Jane Austen's brother Edward and was referred to by the writer as ‘the Great House’. Under the theme Literature, Landscape, and Legacy, their anniversary programme will feature a vibrant array of events, exhibitions, and activities that thread Jane Austen’s influence through every season.
The Spring programme will include Bluebells, Blossom & Bonnets, welcoming family audiences with a bonnet-inspired kids trail in the gardens for Easter, and a series of craft workshops.
It also marks the beginning of the Sisters of the Pen exhibition, which will bring to life the rich tapestry of works by women – then and now – which shaped and were shaped by Jane Austen’s literary world. It will include beautiful first editions of Austen’s novels in the Library, a celebration of Regency-era amateur theatricals in the Drawing Room and a look at the landscape and its influence on Austen’s work in the Garden. Tickets are not yet on sale.
The Summer programme brings outdoor performances from returning and brand new companies, a film screening, and a grand celebration. Mark in your calendar 19 July for Sense & Sensibility: The Musical, produced by Elora Leger; July 31 for Emma by This is My Theatre; August 9 for Pride and Prejudice by This is My Theatre; September 6 for an outdoor screening of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice; and a spectacular Summer Ball in August. Tickets are not yet on sale.
Take a stroll in Jane Austen's Footsteps
During this anniversary year there will be a new Jane Austen trail around the city which will highlight key locations and connecting them with exhibitions and special events. A guided walk exploring Jane Austen's Winchester is among the special interest tours run by Winchester Tourist Guides, starting from the city’s Visitor Information Centre. Visitors can also enjoy a self-guided tour across Hampshire with the Jane Austen Trail.
For those who want to literally follow in Jane’s footsteps, the Jane Austen Circular Walk is a must. Start at Jane Austen's House in Chawton and retrace the route she would have taken across fields and through the village of Farringdon. Jane was inspired by this beautiful countryside to write, and revise, all her novels.
Jane Austen’s House runs regular Guided Village Walks around Chawton – discover the village Jane Austen knew and loved, learn about her love of nature, Chawton neighbours, the houses and views she knew, and the importance of village life in shaping her writing. Throughout the walk, short readings from Jane Austen’s letters and novels bring her world to life.
For a longer stroll, the Jane Austen Trail winds its way from the market town of Alton to Chawton village. Starting from Alton High Street, where Jane and her sister Cassandra frequently walked for shopping and entertainment, Alton is also where her brother Henry had a branch of his bank, Austen, Maude and Tilson, and he often visited it from London.
Discover more Jane Austen 250 events across Hampshire
Go to the Visit Hampshire website to find out all you need to know about the county's must visit attractions, towns, cities and locations which are connected to the famous writer.
In Southampton, where the family lived from 1806 to 1809, an exhibition of rare paintings, letters, books and personal items linked to Jane will be on display to the public for the first time at SeaCity Museum, and a variety of performances, talks and guided tours will take place around the city.
A series of events are planned for 2025 in Steventon, including Jane Austen's Country Fair on Sunday 6 July on Pump Field, the site of the rectory in which Jane Austen was born and spent the first 26 years of her life.
Alton will host its annual Regency Week in June, with talks, guided walks, workshops and a Regency Ball. The town will also be creating a Regency-style garden in memory of Jane Austen.
All media enquiries regarding Winchester's Jane Austen 250 celebrations should be directed to discoverwinchester@lizleanpr.co.uk. If you are not a journalist, or would like to request images, please contact visitwinchester@winchester.gov.uk.
Events celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen
CLOSES: 4th May 2025
CLOSES: 5th May 2025
CLOSES: 5th May 2025
CLOSES: 6th May 2025
CLOSES: 5th May 2025
CLOSES: 6th May 2025
CLOSES: 11th May 2025
CLOSES: 2nd May 2025