A FUNDRAISING appeal has been launched to help Chawton House in its 20th year of being open to the public.

The Hampshire site was once owned by Jane Austen's brother and is looking to secure its legacy for the years to come.

Chawton House, in Chawton near Alton, is looking to raise £200,000 over the next 12 months to keep its doors open.

The tumultuous last three years have seen the charity survive Covid closures and restrictions, destructive storms, flooding, widespread ash die back and thousands of pounds worth of work to remove dangerous trees. Now, the cost-of-living crisis, inflation and rise in the cost of heating have left reserves exhausted and finances in a precarious state.

Chief executive Katie Childs said: “Since 2015, Chawton House has thrown open its doors to the public and transformed from a by-appointment academic library into an award-winning and much-loved historic estate with beautiful grounds and gardens.

"2023 marks 20 years since Chawton House opened to the public for the first time, and whilst we want to celebrate what we have done and look forward to what we will do – especially running up to Jane Austen’s 250th birthday – we face a perilous and uncertain future, and need your help to realise our full potential.  

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“Chawton House is special. It is a place you can visit on your own and not be lonely, where children are encouraged to explore, or where you can lose yourself in the stories of women’s writing. It is a space for community, where you can find inspiration, comfort or even cake. We would be missed now if we were gone.” 

Chair of trustees Louise Ansdell said: “Building on the work of the last two decades, we want Chawton House to forge ahead into a future that celebrates literature and the arts, continues to inspire writers, artists and creatives, as well as providing new opportunities for emerging talent.

"Although the most famous, Jane Austen is not the only person to be inspired by Chawton House, as proven by our successful Visiting Fellows programme, stunning artistic responses to the space and countless testimonials given by visitors of all ages over the years. 2023 will continue the work we have started but we can’t do this alone.” 

She said that supporting Chawton House’s anniversary appeal will ensure it remains a space at the core of the community, both locally and internationally.   

For more details about the appeal, visit chawtonhouse.org/chawton-house-anniversary-appeal/.