WINCHESTER COLLEGE CELEBRATES 250 YEARS OF JANE AUSTEN
Jane Austen spent the final weeks of her life at No. 8 College Street, Winchester, and died there on the 18th July 1817. In the summer of 2025 the house will be open to the public for the first time, as part of a worldwide celebration of the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth. Through displays and artefacts, visitors will learn about Jane’s connections with Winchester and the story of her last days.
Tickets for visits to No. 8 College Street will be released at 9am on 16th September 2024.
TICKETS FOR NO. 8 COLLEGE STREET
NO. 8 COLLEGE STREET: 2025 OPENING
The rooms where Jane Austen spent her last days were, until recently, a private residence. In the summer of 2025 they will host an exhibition about Jane Austen and Winchester, including a specially commissioned film and artefacts from the collections of Winchester College. Other items associated with Jane Austen will be on display in Treasury, the school’s museum, from May 2025 until the end of the year.
Ticketed visits to No. 8 College Street cost £12.50 and will be available on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 4th June - 30th August 2025. Your visit will start at the Treasury museum, followed by a visit to the exhibition and garden of No. 8 College Street. Due to high demand, we strongly recommend pre-booking.
JANE AUSTEN’S FINAL DAYS
Jane Austen came to Winchester in May 1817, to seek medical treatment from a surgeon at the county hospital. With her sister Cassandra, she took lodgings in College Street, a part of the city already familiar to the Austen family. No fewer than eight of Jane’s nephews were pupils at Winchester College and the school is often mentioned in her letters.
Despite her failing health, Jane continued to write, composing her last poem just three days before her death. She was buried in Winchester Cathedral and her final journey was movingly described by Cassandra, who watched the funeral procession from the windows of No. 8.
PRIVATE TOURS AND EXCLUSIVE ACCESS
Private guided tours and exclusive access to No. 8 College Street will also be offered on selected evenings during the summer of 2025, subject to availability.
EVENINGS AT NO. 8 COLLEGE STREET
Packages for evening access start at £475, for up to 15 guests. Your evening could include:
- A curator’s guided tour with Dr Richard Foster, Keeper of Collections at Winchester College
- A drinks reception in the garden of No. 8 College Street; and private dining at an additional College venue.
To find out more, please call us on 01962 621209 or contact us via the link below.
We are delighted to work with our partners across Winchester and the rest of Hampshire to celebrate 250 years of Jane Austen, including Jane Austen’s House, Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire Cultural Trust and Winchester City Council.
To find out more about activities across Hampshire, click the link below.
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