PRIDE IN JANE AUSTEN
Jane Austen has long been one of Winchester Cathedral’s most favourite ‘residents’. Her grave and ledger stone are one of its most visited places and there has been a permanent exhibition about her life in the area and her work for some years now.
It is therefore not surprising that 2013 has been greeted with some anticipation, it being the 200th anniversary of the publication of perhaps her most famous novels, Pride & Prejudice.
As part of the national (and international) celebration of that anniversary, Winchester Cathedral will be holding some special events. A Special Tour with Cream Tea, led by some of Jane Austen’s greatest fans amongst the Voluntary Guides, and leading from the Cathedral to the house where she and Cassandra lived whilst in Winchester during Jane’s final weeks will run on the first Tuesday of each month until September, so 2 February, 2 March, 6 April, 4 May, 1 June, 6 July, 3 August and 7 September. Tickets are £10 from the Cathedral Box Office on 01962 857 275 or on-line at www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk.
If you are an Austen fan looking for something a bit different to the tours, why not try Tea with Miss Austen on Saturday 16 March at 3pm: afternoon tea in the refectory followed by a spoken-word performance by Chapter & Verse entitled Jane Austen: a woman of her time – and ours? . Tickets for this perfect Mothering Sunday present are only £14.95, again from the Box Office (see above).
Or visit another aspect, Jane Austen and the Navy. This two course lunch on Thursday 18 April at 12.30pm will look beyond the demure enclosed family circle to her wider knowledge of the world. Focusing on letters between Jane and her naval brothers, discover how that correspondence found its way into her novels in the post lunch talk. Tickets are £18.95, again from the Box Office.
Details of these and all events are available from www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk