Creative Writing: Excursion to Jane Austen's House

     On Monday, 23 July, Marcel's Creative Writing class was joined by Erini, our Art teacher, and a number of other students on a half-day excursion to Jane Austen's House located in the village of Chawton, Hampshire. The Creative Writing students explored the theme of love and marriage the previous week and were also introduced to Jane Austen, her works and her world. The visit to her house was a lovely end to a very productive week.
     The visit began with a short introductory film about Jane Austen followed by a tour of the house where she spent the last eight years of her life and where she wrote or rewrote six of her greatest works of fiction. Jane eventually spent the last two months of her life in a house next to Winchester College and when she died was burried in Winchester Cathedral. But it was in the house in Chawton where Jane, her mother, her sister Casandra and a friend of theirs lived out the most happiest days of their lives. Other activities at the house included lavender sachet making, quill pen writing and admiring artifacts from Jane's life and the era in which she lived.
     After a tour of the house and group photo, we went on a long walk, first stopping by St. Nicholas church to see the graves of Jane's mother and sister and then on to Upper Farringdon. Jane would frequently take this route to visit friends who lived in the village and have afternoon tea. Our group had to trudge through mud paths, meadows and hills to arrive in Upper Farringdon where the coach awaited us and took us back to college. It was a lovely morning off campus enjoyed by all!