The Jane Austen Centre
The Jane Austen Centre at 40 Gay Street in Bath is a permanent exhibition which tells the story of Jane's Bath experience - the effect that living here had on her and her writing.
Jane Austen is perhaps the best known and best loved of Bath's many famous residents and visitors. She paid two long visits here towards the end of the eighteenth century, and from 1801 to 1806 Bath was her home.
Her intimate knowledge of the city is reflected in two of her novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, which are largely set in Bath.
The city is still very much as Jane Austen knew it, preserving in its streets, public buildings and townscapes the elegant well-ordered world that she portrays so brilliantly in her novels. Now the pleasure of exploring Jane Austen's Bath can be enhanced by visiting the Jane Austen Centre in Gay Street. Here, in a Georgian town house in the heart of the city, the visitor can find out more about Bath in Jane Austen's time and the importance of Bath in her life and work
VISITORS INFORMATION:
Open all year
Summer
14th March to 8th November.
Open every day 9.45am to 5.30pm
Late opening July and August - Thursday to Saturday until 7pm
Winter
9 November to 13 March
Sunday to Friday
11am to 4.30pm
Saturday 9.45am to 5.30pm
Except Feb 13 2010 to Feb 21 – 9.45am to 5.30pm (School Half Term)
Closed Dec 24 - 26 and 1 January.
ADMISSION PRICES:
| Admission Charges: |
| Adults |
£6.95 |
| Seniors/Student |
£5.50 |
| Child 6-15 (under 6 free with an adult) |
£3.95 |
| Family (2 adults with up to 4 children) |
£18.00 |
By Rail: London Paddington to Bath Spa has a journey time of 1hour 10 minutes.
By Road: London to Bath is 104 miles / 164 km
Follow the tourist signs. We are 5 minutes from the Roman Baths.
The Centre has wheelchair access to the ground floor only.
Don't forget to pick up your Jane Austen Centre brochure at the Tourist Information Centre next to Bath Abbey.
Address:
40 Gay Street,
Queen Square,
Bath,
BA1 2NT
EVENTS:
The 2010 Jane Austen Festival is from Friday 17th to Saturday 25th September.
This annual event, now in its 10th year, takes place during the last full week of September.
TICKETS GO ON GENERAL SALE 15TH JULY
Each year the Festival, grows and grows with more people dressing in Regency costume celebrating the life and works of Jane Austen.
Throughout the city events are organised by the Festival team under the guidance of Jackie Herring the Festival Director. Entrance to each event is by ticket and those go on sale at the Bath Festivals Box Office a few months before the start. Becoming a Friend of the Jane Austen Festival ensures you get first choice of tickets, essential for those events with limited numbers.
The most spectacular day each year is the first Saturday, when the festival officially ‘opens’ with the Regency Costumed Promenade through the streets of Bath. Promenaders from all over the world dress in 18th Century attire led by our Town Crier and accompanied by soldiers and sailors adding extra colour to the proceedings.
17 September 2010 at 18:15
Pre-Festival Get Together
An ideal opportunity, over light refreshments and a glass of wine, to meet up with old friends or make some new ones particularly if this is your first festival. There will be a display of photographs from the 2009 Guinness World Record attempt as well as the certificate to see. Duration 90 minutes. Doors open 18:00hrs TICKETS £6.50
18 September 2010 at 11:00
Grand Regency Promenade
This spectacular event departs from outside the Roman Baths and last year achieved the Guinness World Record for 'The Largest Gathering of People Dressed in Regency Costumes - at 409'. Tickets available online from our giftshop and also Bath Festivals Box Office. Tickets £7.50 Adult, £6 Student, £3.50 Child. £1 from every ticket sold is being donated by the Festival to The Bath Cancer Unit Support Group. PLEASE NOTE THAT TO TAKE PART YOU MUST WEAR COSTUME. You can watch this event for Free.
Tickets on sale now
19 September 2010 at 11:00
Dance Workshop AM
Specially designed for those who have little or no experience and suitable for all ages; this is your chance to learn the rudimentary elements of Regency style dancing. Flat comfortable shoes recommended as well as bringing a drink with you. Venue: Chapel Arts Centre, Lower Borough Walls, Bath BA1 1QR Tickets: £9.50 Duration 1 hour 45 minutes
20 September 2010 at 14:00
Bonnets to Boots, a Regency Lady's Wardrobe
This brand new presentation and seminar from Dressing History explores the individual elements, which go together to make up a Regency lady's wardrobe. Using a full set of reproduction clothing, the presentation will look into how a dress and its accessories were chosen and made from top to bottom and inside to out. VENUE: Elwin Room, BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath BA1 2HN - TICKETS: £9.50 Duration 90 minutes approximately.
21 September 2010 at 08:30
In the Footsteps ... Saltram House in Devon
This beautiful mansion was the setting for Norland Park in the film Sense and Sensibility staring Emma Thompson. Included is a guided tour of the grounds, with its formal 18Century garden, orangery and follies. Lunch can be purchased in the excellent restaurant. MEET AND DEPART FROM: Avon Street Coach Park (also known as Riverside Coach Park) in Avon Street next to the car park. Return approx 7pm. TICKETS: £38 (please note the price in the programme is incorrect) Entrance to house and grounds (Free to National Trust members) £7.90 on the day.
23 September 2010 at 12:00
Jane Austen's The Stanhope Sisters - Theatrical
There is a marriage proposal, which the three sisters are all desperate to escape. Add a handsome long-lost friend and a conniving neighbour for a story filled with comedy, disaster and the triumph of love over adversity. Pink Slip Theatre perform their adaptation of this little known piece of Austen's juvenilia. VENUE: The Theatre Royal, Sawclose, Bath BA1 1ET TICKETS: £14 (£26.50 with lunch at 2pm) Only available from the Theatre Royal Box Office . Duration 2 hours
23 September 2010 at 19:00
At home with the Austens - An Evening Soiree
You are cordially invited to spend an evening in the company of friends. Regency dandy, Sir Joseph Scott will be organising the card games whilst regaling us with tales of Regency times. Musical accompaniment during the course of the evening, will be provided by Sabine Purshouse on violin and Patricia Kenwrick on keyboard. Supper is included and Regency costume welcome. VENUE: The Jane Austen Centre, 40 Gay Street, Bath BA1 2NT Doors open at 6.45pm TICKETS: £26
24 September 2010 at 14:00
Draw back the curtain - Theatre in Austen's time
An illustrated talk by Jane Tapley on the threatre in Georgian times and its influence on Jane Austen's novels. Also a peep behind the scenes at one of the most beautiful Georgian theatres in the country. An opportunity to see the newly restored and refurbished Theatre in all its splendour. Duration 90 minutes VENUE: Meet at Theatre Royal Box Office BA1 1ET TICKETS: £10
25 September 2010 at 16:30
Festival Finale - Cheer from Chawton
We are delighted to welcome back to the Festival Karen Eterovich and her very special production Cheer from Chawton. This highly entertaining show which was a massive hit in 2005, is the climax of this our first decade. Before packing away your pelisse and bonnet you are encouraged to put your costume on just one more time and join us in becoming a member of Jane's family. VENUE: Wessex Suite, Francis Hotel, Queen Square, Bath BA1 2HH TICKETS: £15