Our books and manuscript collection contains over 4,500 rare and early editions of works by women writers in the period 1660 – 1860.
Our historic collection focuses on women’s literature in English, with manuscripts, rare and early editions, and for some works, the only known surviving copy. This is supplemented by an extensive collection of scholarship on women writers and the long eighteenth century, alongside contemporary editions.
Search the collection with our online catalogue.
The Reading Room can be opened Wednesday – Friday, by prior appointment
We accommodate researchers throughout the year, who would like to consult the library collections of women’s writing.
We are currently trialling a new booking system.
To make an appointment, please visit our Bookings Page and fill in your details. Please select any available time slot & note your arrival time in the additional info field. Please note that booking a slot reserves a place for the entire day, and you can arrive any time from 10am. You will need to provide a list of items you want to consult in the following format:
- short title
- location
- call number
- accession number
eg. Camilla, ST1*, writers sequence BUR, 141. You can find all of these details in the catalogue entry for each item.
You will received an automated confirmation, and we will contact you within 3 days if we need further information.
Appointment requests are to be made at least a week in advance. Please do not organise accommodation or travel prior to confirmation, as the Reading Room may already be full.
Opening hours are 10:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 16:30. The Reading Room is closed from 13:00 – 14:00, for a one hour lunch break. Researchers will be asked to vacate the room.
Items to be studied must be selected in advance and included in the booking request. Readers may consult up to 10 works at one time. Readers may be asked to consult manuscript materials one at a time.
Readers can access Orlando, the database of women’s writing in the British Isles, on-site, free of charge.
As an Elizabeth manor house, Chawton House does not have a lift.
Readers relying on local transport, such as taxis, are advised to book well in advance to ensure availability.
Readers are asked to not to wear nail polish, as this can chip off and damage the books.
On arrival, all Readers will be required to fill out a Reader Application Form, in which they confirm that they have read and understood the Rules of the Reading Room, Handling Guidelines, and the Guide to Reproductions.
Accommodation
On-site accommodation is now available at times throughout the year via Airbnb. There are also a number of local hotels and B&Bs in Alton. We recommend Riversdown House for researchers wanting a peaceful environment nearby: you can find out more about staying at Riversdown here.
Contact
Please direct queries to curator@chawtonhouse.org