Austen Places

Exploring places connected to Jane Austen’s life and her novels can add more depth to our understanding of her life and fiction.

One place to begin is with the institutions that shaped her daily life. Church and parish life were part of Austen’s everyday world. Her father, her brothers James and Henry, and four cousins were clergymen. The Austen Family Churches section focuses on the churches most closely associated with the Austen family.

Visit the Maps of the Novels section to explore the settings of her stories. In each novel, her “3 or 4 Families in a Country Village” are situated in a specific part of England. While the villages and estates are fictional, Austen often names real counties, towns, and landmarks, giving her stories a clear sense of place.