During the weekend of 6-8 September 2024, Overton came together as a community to celebrate our village’s heritage and our connection to Jane Austen, ahead of the 250th anniversary of her birth in 2025 and before the national launch of the Overton Jane Austen Trails.
Friday 6 September 2024
6.30pm “She Played and Sang”
Revd Canon Michael Kenning, former Rector at Steventon and Vice-Chairman of the Jane Austen Society talked about his connection with Steventon, Jane Austen and her music and performed piano pieces known to have been played by her. Mezzo soprano soloist Kathryn Shaw sang well-known arias of the period, which would have been familiar to Jane Austen, accompanied by Revd. Kenning.
Revd. Canon Michael Kenning
Blending his own insights with musical illustration on the piano, Revd Michael Kenning gave us a glimpse into Jane Austen’s world, with a look at her life in Steventon and her love of music. He performed some piano music known to have been played by Jane Austen and another piece from her collection.
As Rector of Steventon for almost twenty years involvement with the Jane Austen Society has been long standing and he was given life membership on his retirement in 2010. He then served as a trustee and was elected Vice Chairman in 2015. He has published a series of sermons on Jane’s life and writings entitled A closer walk with God. He is an Honorary Canon of Winchester Cathedral.
Kathryn Shaw
Kathryn Shaw is a professional classical musician and teacher. She studied voice with Jean Allister and Wynford Evans studying with a performance scholarship at Royal Holloway University of London where she was a regular mezzo soprano soloist for choral works and oratorio. Kathryn taught music at the Music Conservatoire in Amman, Jordan and the Ahhliyyah Girls School, and also performed at the Jerash International music festival in front of the King and Queen of Jordan. On her return to the UK, she continued performing solos and singing with experienced choirs such as the Yorkshire Bach choir and London City Choir. After a career break to concentrate on family, Kathryn began to teach piano and singing and clarinet privately and is now an established instrumental and singing teacher at Lord Wandsworth College and Wellesley prep school. She combines teaching with solo performances and the music of the Jane Austen period is some of Kathryn’s favourite repertoire. Handel’s music featured in this wonderful celebration.
8pm Movie Night – Pride and Prejudice
Voted the most popular by Friends of the Trails project, a showing of the film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice (2005), one of the three novels Jane Austen began writing when she lived in Steventon.
Saturday 7 September 2024
Children’s Trail All Weekend
A treasure hunt around the village to find the missing items from Jane Austen’s basket as she goes shopping in Overton! Prizes were awarded to the winners!
Opening ceremony at the Community Centre forecourt
Deputy Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Cllr Colin Phillimore and Anne Phillips, Chair of Overton Parish Council unveiled the Overton Jane Austen Trails Information Board.
Walks and talks
A trail talk followed by a guided walk of the village trail ‘Overton in Jane Austen’s Time’ (2.5 miles – allow approx. 1.5 hours) and an illustrated talk about the trail for those not wishing, or unable to do the walk.
Talks and performances at St Mary’s Hall
2pm Jane Austen in Hampshire – a talk by Rebecca Wood, Museum’s Officer, Jane Austen House Museum about Jane and her life in Hampshire, her novels and her legacy.
Rebecca talked about Jane’s early life in Steventon, her family and the village. We heard of Madame Lefroy, her arrival at Ashe Rectory, her charity work, her literary work and her friendship with a young Jane. Rebecca discussed Jane’s teenage writings completed at Steventon, and the romance with Tom Lefroy, the move to Bath and Southampton and back to Chawton, the house, gifted by Edward, and her return to writing. Lastly, there was a brief look at Jane’s final weeks and importantly the legacy she left the endures nearly 250 years since her death.
3pm In her own words – Jane Austen’s letters and scenes from her novels brought to life by a cast from Overton Dramatic Society.
This specially compiled and edited reading combined quotes from Jane Austen’s letters with scenes from the novel she first began writing in Steventon, initially called First Impressions and then later Pride & Prejudice.
Jane’s words were brought to life by members of the Overton Dramatic Society. They give us a glimpse into the private world of Jane’s letters, and also the world of her creative imagination. The words were compiled by Anna, and were performed by members of Overton Dramatic Society, Margaret, Alan, Jill, Vickie and Lesley.
Overton Dramatic Society is a small, friendly society based in Overton. ODS is always open to new members – if you’d like to get involved on stage, behind the scenes or in any other way, get in touch.
4pm Muddy petticoats and parasols – a talk about Jane Austen and her love of walking by author, and Regency expert, Nicola Pritchard-Pink.
In this beautifully illustrated talk, author and historian Nicola Pritchard-Pink explored Jane Austen’s experience of walking, from where she walked and what she wore to how she navigated muddy lanes during the winter months. By looking at her letters, contemporary conduct books, and the potential risks to walking women, Nicola discussed whether Austen herself followed social convention when she stepped outside, and what walking meant to her personally.
5pm Explore Jane Austen’s World – lively and authentic Regency songs, music and readings performed by The Madding Crowd.
In putting the programme together, The Madding Crowd discovered, possibly for the first time, some of the original sources of music copied into the Austen manuscripts. The rest of the music comes from their existing repertoire of Psalms, Carols, Glees, and instrumentals typically used by the church bands and choirs in the reign of George III. The concert also included entertaining readings from diaries, newspapers and other contemporary sources.
Displays and Exhibitions
A range of exhibitions and displays from local clubs and societies.
At the Community Centre 2pm-5pm
- Overton Photographic Club: images from the Overton Jane Austen Trails
- Bench from the Sitting with Jane Project 2017 “Bench and Benchability” by kind permission of Debbie McLatch
At St Mary’s Hall 2pm-6pm
- Regency-era refreshments including cake by the Overton WI for sale
- Overton U3A Military History Group: The Napoleonic Wars
- Jo South: original artwork print sales of the Overton Jane Austen Trails
- Jane Austen and Steventon: display by Steventon village, birthplace of Jane Austen
- Overton Biodiversity Society: Wildlife then and now
- Katy Harley: original artwork postcard sales of Steventon
- Your Overton, Your History: Exhibition of Overton in Jane Austen’s time
- Overton Jane Austen Trails Project and image of Jane Austen based on a watercolour by her sister, Cassandra, by Nandita Hoyes
Regency Pub Quiz 8pm at The Red Lion
Sunday 8 September 2024
10am St Mary’s Church, Overton. The St Mary’s Church bellringers rang a peal of bells as rung in Jane Austen’s time.
Walks and Talks
At 10am walkers set off for the guided Overton to Steventon Jane Austen Trail. A 9-mile, approximately 4 hours, guided trail to Jane’s Austen’s birthplace. An Illustrated talk on the Steventon Trail was available at the Community Centre for those not going on the walk.
At 4pm we enjoyed a guided tour of St Mary’s, Overton, where James Austen was curate.
Thanks to everyone involved
Many thanks to Overton Parish Council, Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Thanks also go to The Overton Walking Group, The Trustees of the Community Association, Heritage Overton, Overton Photographic Club, Overton Dramatic Society, Overton WI, Overton U3A and Military History Group, Overton Biodiversity Society, St Mary’s Hall and the Movie Time team. Nandita Hoyes who created the image of Jane, Jo South Artwork for creating the maps, the Red Lion for hosting the pub quiz, Revd. James Russell and St Mary’s Church and bellringers.
Further thanks to Ginny Cates who created the Children’s Trail and all those who supported the Children’s Trail, Stanley’s coffee shop, No 1 George Street, H-C Travel, Honesty, Parnell-Jordy Harvey, Pearl’s Hair Boutique, Executive Dry Cleaners, Overton Gallery, Mariners, Overton Bathroom Centre, St Michael’s Hospice Shop, L. Titcombe & Family, Olive Blossom Bridal, Turners Butchers, Mildmay Veterinary Centre.
Thanks to Marilyn Wright, Churchwarden at St Nicholas, Steventon for her collaboration. Jacqueline Browne and Lucie Follett Maitland from the Whitchurch Mill Trail group for their help and advice early in this project. Thanks also to Jane Austen Society and Jane Austen House who have given their active support and their blessing.
Grateful thanks for the photography to Richard Gearey (Saturday 7 September) and Janice Stott (Friday 6 and Sunday 8 September.)
Finally, thanks to the Overton Jane Austen Trails team from left to right: Grace Foot, Fiona Whitwham, Jane Mayers, Georgina Paul, Valda Stevens, Noelle Gibbs, Anna Thame. Photo by Janice Stott.
