Tourism News & Press Releases

Jane Austen Regency Week - an eight day Festival of events celebrating Jane and the Regency period - will take place between 18th and 26th June in and around the market town of Alton in Hampshire and the nearby village of Chawton. Chawton is home to the Jane Austen's House Museum, where Jane spent the last 8 years of her life and produced 6 great novels. Nearby Alton is the place where she shopped, banked, collected and delivered post, visited her friends and caught the stagecoach to London.

This year's Festival boasts a fantastic line-up of activities and events, including Regency-style music, dining, drama and film, talks and walks, a vintage fair as well as a Regency Day with ball and dancing workshop.

From Jane Austen's beloved garden to the creativity of a 'cut-price Capability Brown' from Gilbert White

In celebration of one of England's greatest attractions and to mark the 300th anniversary of 'Capability' Brown, Visit England are promoting 2016 as the 'Year of the English Garden'. There are gardens and open spaces a-plenty in the Hampshire area of the South Downs National Park - a stretch of wonderful countryside nestling between the cathedral cities of Winchester and Chichester. Take a break visiting the quintessentially English gardens of some of our literary greats - like Jane Austen or the naturalist Gilbert White, historic house formal gardens or wonderful botanic gardens. And choose from a range of interesting garden-related events and activities.

The East Hampshire area of the South Downs makes a great place for an outdoor break with its rolling hills, sunken lanes, breath-taking views and endless walking opportunities. Add to this some fascinating literary connections, including Jane Austen, 18th century naturalist and author Gilbert White, First World War poet Edward Thomas and more. The interweaving stories - and geography - of these great writers are offered as 6 Literary Walks.