| Bath and Bristol are rich in Jane Austen associations, both biographical and fictional.
She visited Bath twice in the 1790s and was resident there from 1801 to 1806. The
City is mentioned in each of her six novels and forms the setting for a large part of
both Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Jane Austen stayed in Bristol at
least once, in 1806. It features in the Juvenilia (Lesley Castle), which may
indicate an earlier visit. In Northanger Abbey, some of the characters set off to
visit Blaise Castle, in Bristol. Mrs Elton in Emma comes from Bristol.
Jane Austen's parents married in Bath and her father is buried there. There is a plaque on
4 Sydney Place, the Austens' home for the first three years of their Bath life. Many streets
and buildings familiar from the novels may still be seen, and the new Jane Austen Visitor Centre
at 40 Gay Street explains the importance of the City in her life and work.
To see What's On, please select the Bath & Bristol Events link on the left of the screen.
For further information please contact us via bath@jasoc.org.uk.
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