Overton Jane Austen Trails Community Launch Event
Please visit the Overton Parish Website [LINK HERE] for more information and tickets.
Join us for a special weekend of free events to launch the Overton Jane Austen Trails. This event is an opportunity to celebrate our village’s heritage and our connection to Jane Austen, ahead of the 250th anniversary of her birth in 2025.
Friday 6 September
St Mary’s Hall
8 High St, Overton, RG25 3HA (map)
Doors open 6pm for 6.30pm start
6.30pm “She Played and Sang” Revd Canon Michael Kenning, former Rector at Steventon and Vice-Chairman of the Jane Austen Society will talk about his connection with Steventon, Jane Austen and her music. He will perform piano pieces known to have been played by her, and one from her own folio collection. Mezzo soprano soloist Kathryn Shaw will sing well-known arias of the period, which would have been familiar to Jane Austen, accompanied by Revd. Kenning.
** Read more details for “She played and Sang” **
Interval
Doors open 7.45pm for 8.00pm start
8pm Movie Night: ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Voted the most popular by Friends of the Trails project, there will be a showing of the film adaptation of ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (2005), one of the three novels Jane Austen began writing when she lived in Steventon.
There will be a bar and refreshments for the evening
Events are free. Booking is required for each of the Friday events.
BOOK TICKETS FOR FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER HERE
Saturday 7 September
Community Centre forecourt
5 High Street, Overton RG25 3HB (map)
Trails launch
1.30pm Opening ceremony by the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Cllr Dan Putty and unveiling of the Overton Jane Austen Trails Information Board.
Trails
1.45pm Brief trail talk followed by guided village trail Overton in Jane Austen’s Time (2.5 miles) Approx. trail end time 3.15pm
Overton in Jane Austen’s time© Jo South www.josouth.co.uk
3.30pm Brief trail talk followed by guided village trail Overton in Jane Austen’s Time (2.5 miles) Approx. trail end time 5pm.
Children’s Trail – A treasure hunt around the village to find the missing items from Jane Austen’s basket as she goes shopping in Overton! There will be prizes for the winner!
Download and print your Trail clue sheets here
Email your answers to OvertonJaneAustenTrails@gmail.com
Trail live from 31 August 2024
Closing date 18 September 2024
Jane Austen portrait© National Portrait Gallery
Talks and performances
St Mary’s Hall
2pm Jane Austen in Hampshire. Talk by Rebecca Wood, Museum’s Officer, Jane Austen House Museum about Jane and her life in Hampshire, her novels and her legacy.
** Read more details for Jane Austen in Hampshire **
3pm In her own words. Overton Dramatic Society brings to life Jane Austen’s letters and scenes from her novels.
** Read more details for “In her own words” **
4pm Muddy petticoats and parasols. Talk by author and Regency expert Nicola Pritchard Pink about Jane Austen and her love of walking.
** Read more details for “Muddy petticoats and parasols” **
5pm Explore Jane Austen’s World. The Madding Crowd perform lively and authentic Regency songs, music and readings from the time.
** Read more details for “Explore Jane Austen’s World” **
Displays and stalls
St Mary’s Hall
2pm-6pm
Enjoy the range of exhibitions and displays from local clubs and societies in St Mary’s Hall throughout the afternoon including:
Regency-era refreshments including cake by the Overton WI for sale
Jane Austen in Hampshire: Exhibition by Jane Austen House Museum
Overton U3A Military History Group: Regency England and the Napoleonic Wars
Overton Photography Club: images from the Overton Jane Austen Trails
Jo South: original artwork print sales of the Overton Jane Austen Trails
Jane Austen and Steventon: display by Steventon village, birthplace of Jane Austen
Katy Harley: original artwork postcard sales of Steventon
Your Overton, Your History: Exhibition of Overton in Jane Austen’s timeRegency Pub Quiz
Red Lion
37 High Street, Overton, RG25 3HQ (map)
8pm Regency Pub Quiz Night
Form your teams of up to 5 and test your knowledge of fun facts about the Regency period, Jane Austen trivia, books, films and Overton history. Pre-quiz supper available and Regency-style drinks on sale!
Contact Victoria & David at The Red Lion for further details
Follow The Red Lion, Overton on Facebook
Sunday 8 September
10am Community Centre forecourt. Brief Trail talk followed by 9-mile guided trail to Jane’s Austen’s birthplace – Overton to Steventon Jane Austen Trail (trail time approx. 4 hrs.)
Overton to Steventon trail© Jo South www.josouth.co.uk
10am St Mary’s Church, Overton. Bell Ringers will ring a peal of bells as they were rung in Jane Austen’s time.
4pm Guided tour of St Mary’s Church.
Programme and timings for events over the course of the weekend are subject to change.