The pub with two murders before the novels

The pub with two murders before the novels

This 17th-century house in Chawton has a history that isn't exactly cozy. Between 1781 and 1787, it served as a public house called The New Inn. During those years, it was the site of two separate murders - a bit of a dark opening chapter before it became a haven for a novelist.

After the second death, the house was let to a bailiff and eventually became the permanent home for Jane Austen and her family. She moved here in 1809, arriving with three novels already in draft form. She spent the next eight years revising those works and writing the rest of her canon, including Mansfield Park and Persuasion.

Does it matter that the walls saw blood before they saw ink? Maybe not, but it adds a layer of grit to the domesticity of the rooms. The house was later divided into laborers' apartments and a workmen's club before the museum opened in 1949.

Today, you can see the only three known pieces of jewelry Austen ever owned. The museum even managed to buy back a gold ring that was nearly lost to a pop star, thanks to an anonymous donor. It is a quiet, sturdy place where the weight of the words feels heavier because of the shadows behind the wallpaper.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons