Harpsden

st. margaret of antioch church

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Photo: St Margaret of Antioch Church, Harpsden, Oxfordshire

The church of St Margaret of Antioch in Harpsden was the living held by Mrs Austen's father, Reverend Thomas Leigh, from 1731 until his death in 1764. It would have been under the care of a curate during his final two years, as he moved to Bath around 1762 with his family.

In 1793, Mrs Austen's nephew, Edward Cooper, was given the curacy of this church and lived with his wife, Caroline, in the rectory where his late mother had been raised. He remained here until the summer of 1799 when he took up a living in Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire and moved his young family permanently from Berkshire.

There are still many original features from the time of the novel, and the United Benefice of Shiplake, Dunsden and Harpsden has an informative web page about the history of the church which can be accessed here.

Photos: St Margaret of Antioch Church, Harpsden, Oxfordshire

Photos: Public road, Harpsden Bottom, Oxfordshire

st. andrew's church,SONNING

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Photo: St. Andrew's Church, Sonning, Berkshire

Photos: St Andrew's Church, Sonning, Berkshire

It is an impressive church which still has many original features from the time Mr Cooper lived there, although it underwent extensive modernisation during Victorian times. The British History Online page for Parishes: Sonning with Earley, Woodley and Sandford details what features would have been in the church during different periods in history. To access that page, click here.

Photos: St. Andrew's Church, Sonning, Berkshire

Next door to the church is The Bull Inn which is owned by St Andrew's Church and has a long history of welcoming travellers. The Bull Inn website provides more details, which you can read here. It is comforting to think that this welcome would have been offered to Mr Cooper when he was at a very low point in his life.

Photos: Public roads, Sonning, Berkshire.

Photo: The Bull Inn, Sonning, Berkshire

Apart from the introduction of modern traffic, the village of Sonning retains an olde worlde feel today, with many historic buildings still standing. It is easy to conjure up an image of Mr Cooper and his children walking around here.

harpsden extract

If you would like to read an extract from The Austens of Steventon, where the events refer to Harpsden , click here.