Austen House
Austen House is named after Jane Austen (1775-1817), one of England’s most well-known and well-read novelists. In her short lifetime she wrote six novels and a number of shorter works which wittily captured the ups and downs, as well as the ironies, of life for women in the nineteenth century.
Her works were published anonymously and she was only moderately successful in her lifetime. However, the timeless appeal of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma are clearly demonstrated by the recent spate of films and televisions adaptations.
She is appropriate to head up a House because she demonstrates what can be achieved from the confines of a largely female domestic setting. Despite her limited experience of the world of her day she was sharply observant of human nature, clearly wise in matters of relationships, and quietly humorous in her excellent story telling.
