JANE AUSTEN’S NIECE
Caroline Jane Knight, the last of Jane Austen’s nieces to grow up in Chawton, where Jane herself lived and wrote
Step Into Jane Austen's World—Through the Eyes of Her Last Niece from Chawton
I'm Caroline Jane Knight, Jane Austen's fifth great-niece and the last of her nieces to grow up at Chawton House—on the ancestral estate where Jane wrote and published her greatest novels.
I shared the same rooms as Jane, the same walks, family library, traditions, heirlooms and ancestors - we even ate from the same Wedgwood dinner set. My summers were spent working in Granny’s tearoom in the Great Hall, talking to Jane Austen lovers who had made the pilgrimage to her literary home. Growing up in Chawton was a privilege and great aunt Jane was a powerful role model for a young girl.
Every week, I share Jane Austen family stories—childhood memories from Chawton, family heirlooms Jane herself knew, and insights that will change how you read her novels. This is Jane's world through the eyes of her family.
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The Wedgwood dinner set Jane Austen ate from, owned by my family and used throughout my childhood.
Experience This In Person
During my international speaking engagements, in person and virtually, I bring Jane's world to life with our shared heritage, an inside look at Chawton House, authentic artifacts from my collection, and family stories that give audiences a unique Jane Austen experience.
I've presented at literary festivals, libraries, schools, universities, museums, cultural centres, private clubs and Jane Austen societies across three continents—from Jane Austen Regency Week in Chawton to Colonial Williamsburg, from Melbourne to Baltimore.
The last of Jane Austen’s Nieces from Chawton
‘We four sweet Brothers & Sisters dine today at the Great House. Is not that quite natural?’ Jane Austen wrote to Caroline Austen on March 2, 1815.
Chawton House was built by John Knight in 1588 and has been handed down through the generations. Jane Austen’s brother, Edward Austen Knight, inherited the Chawton estate at the end of the 19th century, from the Knight family, on the condition he changed his name from Austen to Knight.
In 1809, Jane Austen moved into Chawton Cottage with her mother and sister, a short walk from what she fondly called Chawton ‘Great’ House, her brother’s Hampshire home.
Settled in Chawton, Jane created her own pathway to achieve her dream of becoming a published and well-read author. During the eight years she lived in Chawton before her untimely death, she published Sense & Sensibility, Pride & Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma. Unfortunately, she did not live to see the publication of Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, both of which were published posthumously.
I am Edward Austen Knight’s fourth great granddaughter, and I grew up at Chawton House, while it was still the private home of Edward’s descendants.
For eighteen years, I didn't study Jane Austen's world—I lived in it. I ran through the same halls Jane knew at Chawton House, browsed the family library of books Jane read, and explored the gardens that inspired her novels
Every summer, I watched thousands of visitors make their pilgrimage to Jane Austen's House in the village, their eyes lighting up as they stepped into her world. Many would take the short walk to Chawton House, where we welcomed them into the Great House that Jane herself had loved.
Now I share those memories through international speaking (I've presented at over 150 events worldwide), through my book Jane & Me: My Austen Heritage and through weekly stories that preserve our family's voice while we still can.
These Stories Will Be Lost Forever—Unless We Preserve Them Now
My family are the last to have lived at Chawton House. We hold irreplaceable memories, stories, photographs, artifacts and insights that exist nowhere else on earth.
My parents still own the Wedgwood dinner set chosen when Jane visited the London showroom with her brother Edward. We carry memories of what it was like to live in the ancestral home of the Austen Knight family—the sounds of footsteps in the Great Hall, the way afternoon light falls in the dining room, the weight of 400 years of family history in every corner.
Some family members have already passed away, and their memories are gone. When my generation is gone, these first-hand family insights disappear.
That's why I'm dedicated to preserving family's collective knowledge—documenting memories, digitizing hundreds of photographs, and creating what will become the most comprehensive archive of life at Chawton House ever assembled. Every subscription supports this vital heritage preservation work, giving me the time and resources to save these stories while they still can be told.
A few items from our collection of family heirlooms and artifacts
When You Subscribe, You Receive:
Weekly family stories that bring Jane's world to life
Access to private memories and photographs from Chawton
Behind-the-scenes look at preservation work in progress
The knowledge you are helping to preserve Jane's family legacy for future generations
And You Help Preserve:
Hundreds of photographs spanning multiple generations at Chawton
Family memories from those who lived in Jane's ancestral home
Artifacts and heirlooms Jane herself would have known
Stories that bring her world to life in ways only her family can share
This isn't just about enjoying Jane Austen today. It's about ensuring her family's voice survives for tomorrow.
We're the last generation to hold these memories. Some family members have already passed, taking their stories with them. Join us in preserving what remains.
Welcome To The Family
Whether you're a devoted Janeite or just discovering Austen's world, you'll find a warm welcome here. This is an invitation into Jane's family, where her stories live on through the memories, artifacts, and voices of those who knew her world intimately.
I'm delighted you've found your way here, and I hope you'll join me in preserving these precious stories.
Choose Your Journey:
Subscribe for Weekly Stories — $100/year (or $10 per month) Full access to family archives, weekly exclusive content, and heritage preservation support.
Become a Sustaining Member — $250/year Everything above plus signed book, private Chawton gatherings, annual virtual events, and recognition as one of the first 100 heritage supporters.
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Jane had a keen eye for those who truly appreciated her world. I think she'd be pleased you've found your way here.
— Caroline