SA Travel Diaries (Church Series) : St Nicholas' Church at Chawton, Alton, Hampshire

St Nicholas' Church, a little country church with a lot
of history.

It's wonderful how, even after all these days, I can still feel the beauty and peace that enveloped me when I first went to St Nicholas' at Alton. From an archaeologist like me, who aims to highlight the lesser known sites most of which are places of worship, this sort of romantic expression is both new and unusual but, it is what it is!

"In vain have I struggled.  It will not do so."

Yes, I'm quoting Pride and Prejudice on Speaking Archaeologically and no, I haven't lost my mind! I'm being deliberate...a little too deliberate, because this Church and the Chawton House and the little cottage, are all inextricably linked to Jane Austen,  who revised all her famous major works, (Pride and Prejudice included) in Chawton! My excitement to see this place, was therefore, twice than it would have been in the normal circumstances.

The chancel of the church, the only
original part which wasn't destroyed in the
Fire of 1871

While describing Jane Austen's House Museum (which is a MUST VISIT for anyone who has grown up loving her) is not really relevant to Speaking Archaeologically,  the Church at Chawton is something I would like to talk about in a little more detail.

According to the little booklet Lyn and I bought from, the Church premises, the church has stood on the site of the present St. Nicholas since at least 1270 when it was mentioned in a diocesan document which makes it contemporary to William Chillenden's election as the Archbishopric of Canterbury as well as Prince Edward's participation in the Ninth Crusade with his wife Eleanor of Castile. While the booklet asserts that it may have been a place of worship even before that, it doesn't seem to mention its reasons for such an assertion. The building was enlarged and improved inside and out over the years and much of it was re-built in the early Victorian period. Jumping forward to the times of Jane Austen, we find that the church, except for the chancel, was ravaged by a fire about the same time as Jane's sister Cassandra, died. This disastrous fire in 1871 effectively destroyed the whole building, so the present nave, north aisle, vestry and tower date only from 1872-3 although many of the early memorials were saved and are still on the walls.

Walking around in the quiet, dark, slightly musty church, still encapsulated in the 19th century air, is like a stroll into the much loved Regency Period of England. You can almost hear the prayers of those who sat in these very benches, you can nearly catch a glimpse of the Austens, who, all except Jane, lie buried in the churchyard and the irony of it all hits you: all her life, Jane was probably known as Edward Knight's sister, the fortunate son of a small clergyman,  who was adopted by the illustrious Knights of Chawton. It was this association which helped her publish her books and that defined her until the day she died. She was Edward Knight's sister. Now, Edward Knight is Jane  Austen's brother!

The Two Cassandras: Jane's mother and sister,
buried in the Churchyard

She wasn't buried here because she predeceased them all. Now, it's almost as if her popularity and her fame make it beneath her to be buried here, so, if you're a fan, you have to go to the Winchester Cathedral to pay your respects to her!

Yes, that's what St Nicholas' does to you, I'm afraid, even if you're a pragmatic archaeologist. It makes you reflect on the sheer power of those with a pen of redefining the history of a place altogether. What all has this Church seen which has never been written? What all is it yet to see? How many more will become a part of its history? How many more will crumble to dust before it?