Jane Austen Day Out

Today, we went to a nearby "walled garden" at Down Grange House, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Many places around our area were familiar haunts of Jane Austen, including this house where she was a visitor of the family there. She was born in Hampshire and had a home nearby in Chawton for several years while she wrote her novels. It is in this part of Hampshire that she found inspiration to write some of her most famous novels, including "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma." Today the Walled Garden is managed by our local council and serves as a public garden and wildlife area.

It was a fine day out, hazy, breezy, and sunny. We were a bit early but got to listen to some lovely musicians and chauffered Colin around in his stroller for most of the day. He did NOT like the Redcoats and Riflemen Display much, as there were so loud it made him cry after a few shots from their rifles! We saw dancing, many period craft displays, musicians, and a traditional "Punch and Judy" puppet show (Colin liked that a bit better, though it was loud, too, what with kids shouting at the puppets and joining in the story). We were lucky to enjoy a lovely lunch with traditioanl British goodies and cakes at their cafe and sat with some very friendly interesting people, including a woman who had been a nanny at the estate there many years ago.

We couldn't resist having ice cream there before we left either, and Colin was happy to endure some more music as long as he had his own cone.

I do belive that I saw Mr. Darcy there and if you look close you can see him off to the side in a photo of Colin... A fabulous day out!