Jane Austen was born on 16th December 1775 in the small village of Steventon where she lived for 25 years. Although it was a small place with no shop or assembly rooms, stage coaches from London stopped in the village twice a day. Jane did, however, have a very active social life in the area and would attend social gatherings at the Assembly Rooms in Basingstoke, not more than 5 miles away.

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The Austen's lived in a late 17th century parsonage, which was renovated in the 1760s for the family's occupation. The house had seven bedrooms and below are contemporary drawings of the house as Jane Austen might have known it.

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Rev George Austen, Jane's father, held a living at St Nicholas Church, which Jane would attend regular to hear her father preach. A spire has been added since Austen's death, and has a vane in the shape of a pen in her honour. The church has three bells, which were restored by the Jane Austen Society of North America.

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Inside the church there are objects remaining that were associated with the Austen family. A brass plaque was put up in 1936 by Austen's great-grand niece Emma Austen-Leigh in dedication. There is also a card displaying a prayer written by Jane on the same wall. There are monuments in the chancel dedicated to Jane's eldest brother James, who is buried in the church yard alongside his second wife Mary Lloyd. Further memorials also remember various Knight family members, descended from Jane's brother Edward.

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Whilst the church still exists today, the parsonage no longer stands, being demolished in 1824  by Jane's brother Edward Knight to build a new house for his son William Knight, who later took over the parish. No visible signs remain except for a blocked off well. Edward Knight owned the site following his inheritance as it was the Knight family who had initially provided Rev George Austen with the living.

 

At Steventon, Austen did a large portion of her writing. She wrote Northanger Abbey, Sense & Sensibility and Pride & Prejudice, as well as her Juvenilia. She lived at Steventon from her birth until 1801 when the remaining family relocated to Bath following her father's retirement. There is an Austen family tradition that is said when Jane heard the news, she fainted of shock! Jane's eldest brother took over the living and moved into the parish with his family, followed by his brother Henry after his death. He was then succeeded by his nephew William Knight.