Welcome to the official website for The Austens of Steventon, a work of biographical fiction that records the early lives of Jane Austen and her family.
This entire novel is based on true facts and real events connected with the Austen family. It follows the same chronological order as documented in memoirs, letters and historical biographies.
If you would like to purchase the book, click here.
On this site, you will find more information about the different settings that were important to the Austens, their friends and relations.
Photo: St. Nicholas' Church, Steventon.
My research has led me to some truly beautiful places that I would never have seen if it were not for my interest in the Austen family. It was thrilling to be able to stand in the same spots where my real-life characters once stood and to imagine what they felt like when they were there.
what will you find on this site?
top menu
At the top of every page, you will see the main locations from the book presented in alphabetical order. When you click on a location, you will be taken to a new page of photos, links and explanations for why that place is important.
interactive maps
The first item on the page will be a map detailing the precise location of the village, town or city. You can zoom in and out for an overview of where it is in relation to the rest of the UK. The example below is set for Monk Sherborne.
main content
On each page, you will find detailed information about the place itself. Every important building linked to the novel is documented with photos, facts and links to third-party sites. The photographs are all my own from personal visits from 2021 onwards, and although links to third-party sites have been checked and verified, I cannot be held responsible for any content that appears there.
Each location is unique so you will find some pages will contain more information than others, depending on what took place there. You will find a red link to Google Maps for each individual property to enable you to plan your own directions, and you will learn which characters from the book spent time there and why it was important to them.
extracts
At the bottom of each page you will find a link to an extract from the novel, connected to the location in question.
You can also go directly to an extract from the top menu bar, by clicking the arrow next to each location.
The extracts are illustrated with a mix of photos from my own library. Not all of these images are from the specific locations mentioned, but may be from other stately homes, museums or historic sites I have visited. Every photograph has a credit to show where it was taken. Please look them up for a visit if a particular setting or view catches your eye.
You should be aware that although photographs enhance the extracts on this website, there are no illustrations or photographs within the book itself.
references
This book would never have been possible if it were not for the incredible work done by countless researchers and scholars before me. At the foot of each page, you will find a list of the sources I used to provide you with the information on that page.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to each and every person who contributed towards them. If you would like to see the full list of sources I used for the entire novel, broken down into topics, then you will find that here.
family homes and ships
There are some settings in the book that are not given pages of their own as no significant scenes took place there. However, they are still important to some of the characters in the story. The Family Homes page has maps and links to third-party websites for the properties concerned, and the Ships page documents the dates that the sailor brothers were on board, together with a link to the Wikipedia pages for most vessels.
family trees
You will find family trees for the Austen, Fowle, Lloyd, Leigh and Cooper families on the Family Trees page. Along with names, dates and branches to link the individuals, you will also find a brief explanation of who each person is, in order to identify quickly which character they are.
have i missed ANYthing?
I am always keen to speak to readers who have more knowledge about the places I have visited. If you have connections to anywhere mentioned on this site and would like to share your wisdom, then please get in touch.
Likewise, if you spot an error in something I have written, then please let me know.
You can contact me via email on info@diane-jane-ball.com
a word about the timeline
This site is dedicated solely to the novel The Austens of Steventon. Consequently, all of the information written on these pages covers the time period from 1754 until May 1801. I know that some of the places hold greater significance to some of the characters later on in their lives and you can be assured that this information will be included on the websites of my follow-up works.
The Austens of Bath will span the time period from mid-May 1801 until July 1809. I am creating this at the moment, with the intention of publishing in 2025.
A third novel is in the planning for The Austens of Chawton, covering the time period from 1809 onwards. Watch this space!
a final word to fellow janeites
Photo: Elizabeth Bennet decoration (available at the Jane Austen Gift Shop, Bath)
My ultimate aim when writing this book was to reach out to everyone who considers themselves a Janeite. There are millions of us around the world, belonging to hundreds of organisations, or simply existing on our own.
One thing that ties us all together is the common bond that, when life gets tough in our unpredictable world, we all understand there are times when 'only Jane will do!'
My wish is that this site, and its associated book, will be a fresh and welcome addition for you to turn to on such occasions.
Photo: Personalised Ornament (available from podssk.com)
Wherever you are reading this, I hope that The Austens of Steventon will bring you pleasure.