Winchester announces plans for Jane Austen 250th birthday

Organisations from across the city and surrounding district have come together to put together a series of more than 25 special events, tours and exhibitions to celebrate Austen’s remarkable life and works.

Next year marks 250 years since the birth of the world-renowned author, who lived in Winchester during the final weeks of her life, before passing away at No. 8 College Street, Winchester, in 1817.

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Organisations across the city will host events to mark the celebration (Image: Joe Low) No. 8 College Street, Austen’s final home, opens to the public for the first time from Wednesday, June 4, to Saturday, August 30.

Winchester College has prepared displays about Austen's connections with Winchester and the story of her last days, including artefacts that have never before been on public display.

Other items associated with Austen are on display in Winchester College’s museum, Treasury, from May until the end of the year.

Tickets for tours of No. 8 College Street are on sale now and must be pre-booked in advance.

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Winchester Cathedral, where Austen is buried, is honouring the author by displaying the original manuscript of a poem written by Austen which has never been on public display before.

The cathedral is also hosting a Regency Ball on May 31, inviting guests to wear their finest attire for an evening celebrating the customs and traditions of the Regency and late Georgian periods. Tickets will be on sale soon.

Cllr Lucille Thompson, cabinet member for business and culture at Winchester City Council, said: "It is fantastic to see so many attractions and businesses coming together to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth.

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"Winchester is fortunate to be home to significant moments of Austen’s history, and we are thrilled to be hosting such a variety of wonderful events and exhibitions.

"We are proud of our city’s heritage and look forward to welcoming visitors from across the globe to be part of these special celebrations."

To mark the 250th anniversary, Visit Winchester is inviting fans to discover the city as the author knew it through the launch of a new self-guided trail around the city, which highlights key locations, landmarks, and sites of interest for Austen.

These are all places the author would have visited during her time in the city and give visitors an insight into the Georgian history of the city. The trail launches early next year.