On the weekend of 13th and 14th September 25 the Overton Jane Austen Trails group celebrated Jane Austen’s links to this area with a weekend of activities as part of the annual Heritage Open Days.
Visitors from as far afield as Norfolk, London and Southampton came to explore Overton in Jane Austen’s time, walk across the beautiful countryside to her birthplace and home for 25 years at Steventon and to visit Quidhampton Chapel and St Mary’s Church, Overton.
Guided trail exploring Overton in Jane Austen’s Time
On the Saturday morning volunteers from Heritage Overton led 14 visitors on a 2.5-mile guided trail exploring Overton in Jane Austen’s time.
Overton, less than three miles from Jane Austen’s home at Steventon was described as a ‘neat little town’ in the 18th century with many shops including grocers, a corset maker, tailors, a dressmaker, butcher, coaching inns and the local post office.
The trail passed the cottages, houses, inns and other places that would have been familiar to Jane and her family including St Mary’s Church, where Jane Austen’s brother, James, was curate from 1790 and where her father also took services and Court House where James lived in 1792.
Guided trail from Overton to Steventon
Meanwhile, 25 hardy walkers, dressed in waterproofs and sturdy boots, braved the threat of rain to tramp across the country paths and lanes on a 9-mile guided trail from Overton to Steventon, where Jane Austen wrote early versions of Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility and Northanger Abbey.
The first stop was St Nicholas Church, Steventon, where Jane Austen’s father was rector, and where Jane was christened in April 1776. The trail then followed in the footsteps of Jane herself to Deane, passing the grand Deane House, the home of Jane Austen’s friends, the Harwood family, where Jane Austen danced and dined and then on to Ashe Parsonage, home of Jane Austen’s ‘beloved’ friend, Mrs Lefroy.
The trail finished with a very welcome tea and cake at Quidhampton Chapel – and it didn’t rain until we arrived at the finish line!
Overton in Jane Austen’s Time Exhibition in a Grade II* Listed Norman Chapel
Quidhampton Chapel a Grade II*, listed Norman Chapel was specially opened to the public on the Saturday afternoon to celebrate Heritage Open Days.
Inside the lovingly restored brick and flint chapel was an exhibition about Overton in Jane Austen’s Time. We counted 97 people in, although judging by teas and coffees and washing up we think there may have been 150!
St Mary’s Church, Overton – talk
The weekend’s activities finished on Sunday afternoon when 22 people attended a wonderful talk from Adrian Lewis about the Grade II*, St Mary’s Church where Jane Austen’s brother, James, was curate and her father also took services.
Thank you
Thank you so much to all those who attended the weekend’s events which raised over £248 for the St. Mary’s Church bell fund.
We have so many thankyou’s to give to those who volunteered to help make the weekend such a success!
Thank you to John, Bernard and Richard from the Overton Walking Group for leading us safely across the Hampshire countryside to Steventon and to Jane Anthony, Jane Mackenzie, Sue Carter and Chantal Challen from Heritage Overton for leading the Overton in Jane Austen’s Time trail.
Thank you to Grace and Stephen Foot for opening the chapel for us. Thank you to Brigitte and Sharon (looking absolutely stunning in your regency costumes!) on the front gate!
Thank you to Carolyn and Katie for spending the afternoon serving teas and washing up! Thank you to Stephen, Alastair and Paul for gazebo and bunting duties!
Thank you to Jo South, Artworks for bringing along your beautiful prints of the Overton Jane Austen Trails and for your donations from print sales to the Overton Parish Council’s legacy funds helping us keep this project going!
Thank you to the Overton Community Centre for the loan of their urn and teapot.
Finally thank you to Adrian for the fascinating talk about St Mary’s Church.
And, of course, a huge thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a fantastic day!
From the Overton Jane Austen Trails working group volunteers!