News for Austen Enthusiasts : July 2021

The summer weather remains temperamental here in England, but Austen news continues to roll in come rain or shine. Here's everything you might have missed last month. 

A rare portrait of Austen is to make an appearance at the Holbourne Museum, Bath, this summer, on loan from the National Portrait Gallery. Lovingly sketched by her sister Cassandra, the portrait, which is widely accepted to be the only confirmed depiction of Austen, will go on display between August 26 to September 27. That means if you are in town for the Jane Austen festival, you can see it for yourself. More info about the festival can be found here.

It can be an awful lot of work trying to find your own Darcy, Wentworth or Knightley. The new Peacock show, Pride and Prejudice: An Experiment In Romance, aims to streamline the process, giving one lady the opportunity to pick from a range of suitors. Think Austenland, this show is going to lean in to all your favourite Regency tropes. What do we think? Genius or Garbage? 

Martha Lloyd's Household Book has just hit shelves, revealing how our beloved Jane Austen may have eaten. Martha Lloyd, Austen's sister-in-law, painstakingly put together all of her recipes (including one for a cheese toastie!), but until now, the manuscript has only been viewable at Chawton. Now you can get your hands on a copy, and eat like Jane!