Bournemouth is joining the nation in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of one of England’s most beloved authors, Jane Austen.
Known for her sharp wit and timeless works, such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, Austen’s legacy continues to inspire readers and writers alike.
Local museums and heritage sites are hosting special exhibitions and events, allowing fans to delve deeper into the life and times of the iconic author.
In Bournemouth, local bookstores and libraries are getting involved, hosting book clubs, lectures, and costume events to mark the occasion.
Dorset Museum and Art Gallery in Dorchester is opening a new exhibition from June until September to celebrate the novelist’s quarter-millennial anniversary.
The exhibition is taking inspiration from her famous line “A little sea-bathing would set me up forever,” and will explore how the seaside influenced Austen’s life and fiction.
The display will feature the fashions, leisure activities and entertainment of the Regency seaside, with highlights to include the first edition of Austen’s ‘Persuasion’.
Neighbouring county Hampshire is also at the heart of the festivities as Austen’s birth county.
A new series of walking and cycling trails has been launched in the village of Overton, where Austen spent much of her early life.
The trails guide visitors through sites significant to Austen’s upbringing and the landscapes that shaped her literary imagination.
A look inside Jane Austen’s house in Alton. Photographs by Gabriella Mitchell.
Winchester, where Austen is buried, will also unveil a new statue in her honour in October, further cementing her legacy in the region.
As the world honours 250 years of Jane Austen, Bournemouth residents have every reason to take pride in their proximity to the landscapes and history that helped shape her iconic works.
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