How to explore Jane Austen’s Bath, in time for a special anniversary
Is there a writer more intrinsically associated with England than Jane Austen? Her novels, centuries on, continue to be made into award-winning films – though in my opinion none of the adaptations will ever surpass the BBC’s 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice, for obvious reasons (largely concerning Colin Firth). She’s arguably a driving force of the inbound American tourist sector (boosted in more recent years by Downton Abbey and the Windsors). Much of the Austen-related tourism is centred on Bath, the Somerset city where she lived at the start of the 19th century.
EXPLORE JANE AUSTEN'S BATH WITH LUCY WORSLEY
It has been a whole quarter of a millennia since Austen was born. Fittingly, for such a prized author, celebrations and events will be taking place all through 2025 in her native Hampshire, in Bath and beyond to commemorate the 250th anniversary of her birth.
She was born in the Hampshire village of Steventon on 16 December 1775 and died in the county capital Winchester – but Jane Austen made Bath her home from 1801 to 1806. At the time, the city was a popular spa resort with a fashionable society scene that will be revived for the celebrations (empire-line dresses and bonnets at the ready).
There will be various Austen-themed gala balls – set to be held in May, June and December – before which you can brush up on your Regency dance skills with some classes. The Grand Regency Promenade will take place on Saturday, 13 September.
The author’s house in Hampshire will host festivals, talks and, of course, writing workshops all year long. Between July and November, exhibitions celebrating Austen will be on show at Bath’s No. 1 Royal Crescent and Winchester’s Gallery at the Arc.
Perhaps most special is the opening of her schoolroom in Reading for the first time ever – it will receive visitors between April and October; as will No. 8 College Street in Winchester (open to visitors from June to August), where Austen spent her final weeks.
Aptly, a new BBC drama is being released to mark the anniversary in 2025 — though it’s unlikely to live up to the globally beloved sensation it aired 30 years prior. For the Mr Darcy fans, the Jane Austen Centre offers tea with England’s most eligible gentleman in its Regency Tea Room.
Theatre fans can catch Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), transferring from the West End for a short run at the Theatre Royal Bath from 14 to 18 April; and Bath’s Natural Theatre Company will be performing its immersive Austen Lost and Found show throughout the year, using the city as the stage. Visit Bath will be running various Austen-related tours, including a free audio walking tour and a photography tour.
In London, Henry’s Townhouse is a Grade II-listed building once owned by Jane’s brother Henry — to mark the 250th anniversary, the boutique hotel, which is located at number 24 Upper Berkeley Street in Marylebone, will have packages and experiences relating to its famous literary family throughout the year.
For Jane Austen fans looking to delve into the world of the author on a mini-break, Good Housekeeping Holidays has a four-day tour of Jane Austen’s Bath with acclaimed historian Lucy Worsley, which will bring Regency England to life. You’ll explore Bath’s famous Jane Austen Centre, set within a traditional townhouse; call by Austen’s house in Chawton, where she wrote six of her beloved novels; and visit the filming locations at Lacock and Basildon Park.
Worsley, an Austen expert and biographer, will give a talk and join you on a walking tour of the city, pointing out highlights of its magnificent Georgian architecture. The tour includes three nights’ accommodation at Lansdown Grove Hotel in Bath, and a cruise along the River Avon.
Browse more extraordinary journeys in the latest Good Housekeeping Holidays brochure.
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