CHAWTON TOURS

Jane Austen's untold family stories and secrets — from the family that lived them

A Private Tour of Jane Austen's Chawton

I'm inviting a small number of Janeites to spend time 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.

In June and September 2027, 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. Ask me anything about Jane, the novels, my family and what it was like to grow up here.

Places are strictly limited. Maximum 6 people for The Austen Heritage VIP 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

Morning: 10am–11am
Afternoon: 1:30pm–2:30pm
Maximum 6 guests

Meet me outside Jane Austen's House and walk through Chawton village together — hearing family stories and insights that exist nowhere else.

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 has known, including Jane Austen herself. See if you can spot him when you visit.

Perfect for: Those with limited time who want Jane Austen's untold family stories from the village where she lived and wrote

The Austen Heritage VIP Experience: Explore Chawton with Jane Austen's Niece — 2.5 hours | USD $135 / GBP £100

Morning: 10am–12:30pm
Afternoon: 1:30pm–4pm
Maximum 6 guests. Chawton House entry included.

The complete experience — Jane Austen's untold family stories and secrets, shared in the very places where they happened.

The Austen Heritage VIP Experience begins with the full Village Walk, then continues into Chawton House and St Nicholas Church. You do not need to book the Village Walk separately.

The Village Walk (1 hour)
Everything above — Chawton village through family eyes, our Highbury theory, family stories, and The Greyfriar.

Chawton House (1 hour)
We move through Chawton House together — the ancestral home where I grew up and Jane was a frequent and beloved guest. As we go, I'll share the family stories and memories behind these rooms: what happened here, who sat where, what this house meant to Jane and to the generations who came before and after her. I'll bring photographs from my family's private collection that bring Chawton to life across the decades — images that have never been publicly shared.

These are the stories that exist only in living memory. This is the only place you'll hear them.

St Nicholas Church (30 minutes)
Where Jane worshipped regularly throughout her years in Chawton — and where generations of my family are buried, including ancestors Jane knew personally.

The chancel of the church is unchanged since Jane's time. "It is very curious to trace the genealogy of the Knights and all the old families that have possessed this estate... so that we are not at a loss for amusement." Fanny Knight wrote in her diary. Jane knew the stories of our Chawton ancestors, just as I do, and I’ll share them with you.

Standing where she stood, we'll look together at the reclining statue of Sir Richard — placed here in 1679 — while I tell you his story. Sir Richard has watched over this church for nearly 350 years.

Ask me anything — about Jane, the family, the novels, what it was like to grow up here. This is your time with Jane's living family, in the place where it all happened.

Perfect for: Devoted Janeites who want the deepest possible immersion in Jane Austen's untold family stories — from the family that lived them

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 September 2027

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 6 to 20 can arrange private days. Email caroline@austenheritage.com

Before/after our tour - Explore the beautiful gardens at Chawton House and have lunch in the Old Kitchen Tearoom.

Jane Austen's House is also highly recommended - book via Jane Austen’s House website.

Jane Austen’s House in the middle of Chawton village

Please note - Very occasionally, Chawton House closes at short notice for reasons beyond anyone's control. In the unlikely event this occurs on your tour day, your experience will continue as planned — we will spend additional time in St Nicholas Church, the churchyard, the village, and the grounds, and you will still hear Jane Austen's family stories and secrets in the place where they happened. Tickets are non-refundable in this circumstance.

Cancellation Policy - Because our tours are intimate and exclusive cancellations affect us significantly and places may not be able to be resold at short notice.

  • 90 or more days before your tour: Full refund

  • 30 days or more before your tour: 50% refund, or transfer to another available date at no charge

  • Under 30 days: No refund or transfers

If you have any concerns before booking, please contact caroline@austenheritage.com

Register Your Interest — 2027 Dates Opening Soon

Places are strictly limited and available only during my June visit to Chawton in 2027.

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?

Pop your name and email below and I'll notify you the moment 2027 dates open — no other commitment, just a heads up when booking begins.

Prefer regular updates too? Subscribe to my weekly stories instead and you'll hear about 2027 dates plus family stories throughout the year. Sustaining Members and Paid Subscribers will get early booking access for Chawton Tours.

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 6 or more can book select days beyond those advertised, and larger groups (up to 20) can also be accommodated.

Now taking inquiries for both 2027 and 2028. Whether you're planning ahead or looking for dates this summer, get in touch to discuss availability and arrangements.

Email caroline@austenheritage.com

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 home like you’ve never seen it before. You're helping preserve it for future generations.

Support Heritage Preservation

Christmas in the Great Hall at Chawton House c1983

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • The Austen Heritage VIP Experience (USD $135 / GBP £100) includes the one-hour village walk, an hour and a half exploring Chawton House and the church with Caroline. Chawton House entry is included in the price.

  • Yes — the Village Walk is the first part of the Austen Heritage VIP Experience. If you book the VIP Experience you do not need to book the Village Walk separately.

  • Meet outside Jane Austen's House in the centre of Chawton village. Morning sessions begin at 10am, afternoon sessions begin at 1:30pm — your booking confirmation will confirm your session time. Jane Austen's House is highly recommended and opens at 10am — perfect to visit before an afternoon session, or after a morning one.

  • 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 2027 and 2028.

  • Chawton village involves some walking on uneven surfaces and the house has historic staircases. Most of the ground floor of Chawton House is accessible. The gardens are sloped with gravel and grass pathways. Please contact caroline@austenheritage.com to discuss your specific requirements before booking.

  • 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.

  • Very occasionally, Chawton House closes at short notice for reasons beyond anyone's control. In the unlikely event this occurs on your tour day, your experience will continue as planned — we will spend additional time in St Nicholas Church, the churchyard, the village, and the grounds, and you will still hear Jane Austen's family stories and secrets in the place where they happened. Tickets are non-refundable in this circumstance.

  • Because our tours are intimate and exclusive, cancellations affect us significantly and places may not be able to be resold at short notice.

    • 28 or more days before your tour: Full refund

    • 14–27 days before your tour: 50% refund, or transfer to another available date at no charge

    • Under 14 days: No refund or transfers

    If you have any concerns before booking, please contact caroline@austenheritage.com

  • Yes — Caroline returns to Chawton each summer and plans to offer tours annually. 2028 enquiries are already welcome for private and group bookings. Sustaining Members and Paid Subscribers receive priority early access to each year's dates before they are publicly announced. Subscribe to be first to hear when future dates open.