Katie Childs, chief executive of Chawton
House, said: “We’re thrilled more people
are enjoying the Old Kitchen Tearoom and
want to make it a space for the community to
enjoy. We particularly hope local groups will
make the most of our new morning openings,
such as walkers, parents finishing the school
run and home workers.”Cooking up a Chawton storm
Chawton House has extended the opening
hours of its Old Kitchen Tearoom to cater for
increased demand. Visitors will now be able to
enjoy the atmospheric setting from 9am, with
a new special breakfast menu that includes a
selection of toasted treats.
The tearoom was renovated at the
beginning of the current visitor season,
thanks to two generous donations from Tony
Costigan and Mark Kemp-Gee, both local
councillors. Part of the change included a new
seasonal menu, with more emphasis placed on
using ingredients from the local area. Since
the renovation, visitor numbers to the tearoom
have nearly tripled, with customers turning to
social media to voice their approval.
One wrote: “Really enjoyed my lunch in
this a very relaxed, beautiful location. My
Brie baguette was delicious and the gluten-
free chocolate brownie was one of the best I
have tasted. The staff were very friendly and
welcoming.”Partying like it’s 1949
Celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of
Jane Austen’s House Museum continue, with
discounted admission for the first 70 visitors
on the day of the anniversary ( July 23) and a
70th anniversary party on Saturday, July 27.
The museum first opened to the public on
July 23, 1949, with an admission charge of 1/6,
equivalent to £2.34 today. The first 70 visitors
to arrive on July 23 will only be charged £2.
compared with the usual price of £9.00.
Four days later the museum will be
hosting a 70th anniversary party for which
the grounds will be decorated and filled
with activities for all the family. There will
be Regency garden games to play, a chance
to dress up, and performances by the Duke
of Wellington’s Dancers and the violinist
Sophie Langdon. Inside the house, visitors
will be able to enjoy the anniversary ‘Making
the Museum’ exhibition and drop into an
hourly ‘Curator’s Questions’ session to find
out more about the museum.
The museum is also marking its 70th
anniversary with the “Chawton Cottage
rose”, a new climbing rose developed by
Harkness Roses, which was unveiled at the
Chelsea Flower Show in May.- A small piece of the original wall
from the drawing room at Jane Austen’s
House Museum has been returned there
after turning up in the US. Professor John
Halperin, an Austen biographer who died
last year, was given the piece of original
wainscoting by Elizabeth Jenkins, one
of the original trustees, in September
- According to
Halperin’s own label
it had come loose
during the renovation
works that took place
early in the museum’s
history.