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Showing posts with label dolphin hotel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dolphin hotel. Show all posts

Wednesday, 1 January 2014

Jane Austen in Southampton

 
Following her father George's death in January 1805, Jane Austen, her mother and sister Cassandra eventually settled in Southampton, where they stayed until mid-1809.

In March 1807 they took a house in Castle Square, on the site of the Juniper Berry pub (images left and below). Jane attended at least two dances in the Dolphin Hotel (images right and below) in a ballroom on the first floor (behind the bay windows).

Sadly, many of Southampton's historic buildings were lost owing to bomb damage in WW2, including All Saints, the church where Jane worshipped, on the high street.



The City of Southampton Society has published a free heritage trail leaflet so that you can follow in Jane's footsteps.

 
 


 


All photos (c) Sue Wilkes.
Engraving of Southampton High Street in the 1890s from Our Own Country, 1898. Author's collection.


The Dolphin Hotel can be seen on the right hand side of the street in the illustration.