CHAWTON TOURS
Jane Austen's untold family stories and secrets — from the family that lived them
Walk Through Chawton with Jane Austen's Niece
For the first time, I'm inviting a small number of Janeites to spend a day in the Hampshire village where Jane lived, wrote, and published her greatest works—guided by the last of her nieces to grow up at Chawton House.
"This is the closest you'll ever get to meeting Jane Austen herself... a once-in-a-lifetime experience"
— Discover Britain Magazine | Read the full article
An Invitation into Jane Austen’s Chawton
Then and now: Jane Austen's House, Chawton
I'm Caroline Jane Knight, Jane Austen's fifth great-niece.
Every summer I return to my childhood home of Chawton—the village where my fifth great aunt Jane Austen spent the most productive years of her writing career, and the ancestral home where I grew up. Jane Austen's house still stands in the heart of the village, just as it did in her time—a living connection to her world.
This June and July, for the first time, I'm inviting you to walk through Chawton with me. To see the village through family eyes. To hear the stories, memories, and traditions passed down through fifteen generations—insights that exist nowhere else.
This is Jane's family, sharing her world in the place where it all happened.
You'll walk the lanes Jane knew. Stand in rooms where she dined. Hear our private theory about Emma. Discover family traditions, our shared ancestors, what The Greyfriar is and why every Austen descendant knew to look for him. Learn recipes from the family cookbook. Ask me anything about Jane, the novels, what it was like to grow up here.
Places are strictly limited. Maximum 6 people for The VIP Day experience on advertised dates. This is intimate, personal, and exists only while I'm in Chawton each summer. Larger groups can be accommodated by special arrangement.
All proceeds support The Austen Knights of Chawton: A Family Archive, preserving Jane Austen's family heritage for future generations.
What You’ll Experience
The Village Walk— 1 hour | USD $60 / GBP £45
Meet me outside Jane Austen's House at noon and walk through Chawton village together.
I'll share my family's theory that Highbury in Emma is actually Chawton—pointing out the buildings we believe inspired Hartfield, Miss Bates' cottage, the post office and more. You'll learn why Hartfield is called Hartfield, where Box Hill really is, and why Jane named Mr. Knightley after my family.
As we approach Chawton House at the end of the village, I'll tell you about The Greyfriar—a small carved figure hidden in the panelling that every member of my family knows, including Jane Austen. See if you can spot him when you visit.
Perfect for: Those with limited time who want family perspective on Chawton village
The VIP Day: A Day in Chawton with Jane Austen's Niece— 4 hours | USD $175 / GBP £132
The complete experience, bringing you deep into Jane's world and my family's heritage.
What's included:
The Village Walk (1 hour)
Everything above—walking through Chawton, hearing family stories, discovering our Highbury theory
Lunch in the Old Kitchen Tearoom (1 hour)
Lunch together in the original kitchen at Chawton House where cooks prepared meals Jane ate when she dined at the ‘Great House’ as she called it. Over lunch I'll share childhood memories of this kitchen, recipes from The Knight Family Cookbook, dishes from Jane's time that appear in her novels, and how food matters in her writing. This is where conversation flows and questions deepen.
Chawton House and Gardens (2 hours)
Walk through Chawton House with a house guide, then explore the gardens with me where formality drops entirely. This is where I share childhood memories of growing up here, family stories that give clues to Jane's life in Chawton, and what our heritage reveals about her novels.
Ask me anything—about Jane, the family, Chawton, what it was like to live here, the novels. This is your time with Jane's family.
Lunch and Chawton House entry included in price.
Perfect for: Devoted Janeites who want the deepest possible immersion in Jane's world through family perspective.
What Makes This Tour Unique
I am Jane's family and Chawton House was my home.
Caroline at Chawton House, age 15
For eighteen years, I lived at Chawton House, when it was still our private residential home. I ate from the dinner service chosen when Jane accompanied Edward to the Wedgwood showroom in 1813. I browsed some of the same books as Jane in the family library. I played in these gardens as a child. I experienced daily life at Chawton House, steeped in four centuries of my own family history.
I know what the estate sounds like in the dead of night—I've slept there thousands of times. I know family stories about what inspired Jane Austen's Emma and why Hartfield is called Hartfield. I know firsthand how Jane's legacy and popularity have grown over the last fifty years and shaped both her living family and Chawton today.
I know family traditions, recipes, stories, and memories that will disappear when my generation is gone—unless we preserve them now.
This is living heritage, shared in the place where it happened, by Jane's family.
Practical Details
When - Selected days in June and July 2026
Where - Chawton, Hampshire (meeting point: outside Jane Austen's House)
Group size - Maximum 6 people per advertised day for VIP experience
Individual bookings welcome - You don't need to come as a group
Private bookings available - Groups of 4 to 20 can arrange private days. Email caroline@austenheritage.com
Before you arrive - Jane Austen's House opens at 10am—highly recommended to visit before our 12pm meeting time
Jane Austen’s House in the middle of Chawton village
Book Your Place
Places are strictly limited and available only during my June-July visit to Chawton each year.
2026 bookings are open now
Whether you choose the intimate Village Walk or the full VIP Day experience, you'll hear Jane Austen's untold family stories and heritage — from the last of her nieces to grow up at Chawton House.
2027 Dates Coming Soon
I return to Chawton each summer, and 2027 bookings will open in August 2026.
Want to be the first to know?
Subscribe to my weekly stories and you'll hear about 2027 dates before anyone else—plus you'll receive family stories, memories from Chawton, and updates on The Austen Knights of Chawton Family Archive throughout the year.
Sustaining Members and Paid Subscribers will get early booking access in 2027, just as they did in 2026.
Private and Group Bookings
Interested in a private day for your group?
Private bookings are available for tour operators, societies, families, groups of friends—anyone wanting an exclusive Chawton experience. Groups of 4 or more can book select days beyond those advertised, and larger groups (up to 20) can also be accommodated.
Now taking inquiries for both 2026 and 2027. Whether you're planning ahead or looking for dates this summer, get in touch to discuss availability and arrangements.
All ticket proceeds support
The Austen Knights of Chawton—A Family Archive
This important Austen family heritage preservation work documents multi-generational memories, photographs, and oral histories from the last generations to live at Chawton House.
When you book a tour, you're not just experiencing Jane's world. You're helping preserve it for future generations.
Support Heritage Preservation
Christmas in the Great Hall at Chawton House c1985
About Caroline
I am Caroline Jane Knight, Jane Austen's fifth great-niece and the last of her nieces to grow up at Chawton House—the ancestral estate where Jane spent the most productive years of her writing career.
I spent the first eighteen years of my life immersed in Jane's world: running through the Great Hall, browsing the family library, eating from the Wedgwood service Jane ate from, playing Snap Dragon in the Great Hall.
For the last twelve years, I've dedicated myself to sharing and preserving Jane's family heritage—through international speaking, writing and founding the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation. I am now creating The Austen Knights of Chawton: A Family Archive for historians, Janeites and future generations.
The family stories at the heart of this day have been part of my life since childhood. I am delighted, finally, to share them with you in person, in Chawton.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes — places are strictly limited to a maximum of six people per VIP Day and spaces sell out quickly. Booking in advance is essential. Visit the booking page to see available dates and secure your place.
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Individual bookings are very welcome — you don't need to come with a group. You may find yourself sharing the experience with other Janeites, which most guests find adds to the enjoyment.
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The VIP Day (USD $175 / GBP £132) includes the one-hour village walk, lunch in the Old Kitchen Tearoom at Chawton House, and two hours exploring Chawton House and gardens with Caroline. Chawton House entry is included in the price.
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Yes — the Village Walk is the first part of the VIP Day experience. If you book the VIP Day you do not need to book the Village Walk separately.
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Meet outside Jane Austen's House in the centre of Chawton village at noon. We recommend arriving early to visit Jane Austen's House before our meeting time — it opens at 10am and is a short walk from the car park.
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Yes — private bookings are available for groups of 6 to 20 people, including tour operators, Jane Austen societies, and groups of friends. Email caroline@austenheritage.com to discuss availability and arrangements for both 2026 and 2027.
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Chawton village involves some walking on uneven surfaces and the house has historic staircases. Most of the ground floor of Chawton House is accessible, including the Old Kitchen for lunch. The gardens are sloped with gravel and grass pathways. Please contact caroline@austenheritage.com to discuss your specific requirements.
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The village walk takes place outdoors so appropriate clothing for the English weather is recommended. In the event of severe weather, Caroline will contact you on your booking email with an alternative meeting point. The experience may be adapted slightly, but you will still hear Jane Austen's untold family stories and secrets, share time with her family in the place where it all happened, and have an unforgettable day in Chawton.
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Yes — Caroline returns to Chawton each summer and 2027 bookings will open in August 2026. Paid subscribers and Sustaining Members receive early access to booking before dates are publicly announced. Subscribe free for the opportunity to book before tickets go on general sale.