Welcome to the homepage of the 2002 Jane Austen’s England summer study trip at Randolph-Macon Woman's College. This page is intended to share with you the wonderful discoveries and experiences that our class gained by visiting sites in England relevant to the life and work of Jane Austen.

We began with English 203, a literature course focused on the writings of Jane Austen: her juvenilia, her six novels, and her unfinished work. We studied the themes and craft of Austen’s novels, seeking to understand what it is that makes her a great and an enduring writer. We paid special attention to aspects of Austen’s work relevant to women’s studies and women’s lives.

The nine students enrolled in English 288S (the summer study trip) also met regularly throughout the semester to prepare for the trip. The nine of us chose to take this class because we love Jane Austen, we are awed and inspired by her work, and we wanted to have personal contact with her world. The trip was an amazing and fulfilling experience for all of us.

In order to prepare for the trip to England we all read a biography of Jane Austen. We also researched the culture of England during Jane Austen’s life (1775-1817) and presented reports to the rest of the group. In order to share what we learned with you, we have included the text of our reports on the site.

Finally, at the end of Spring Semester, we departed as a group to England. We spent time in Bath, Winchester, and London with many day-trips to other Austen-significant locations. On this website you will find information about each of the sites, and pictures from our trip. We include biographical information and material from Austen’s writings and letters to help you understand the importance of each location to a Jane Austen scholar.

Our class at The Vyne, led by Professor Lynne Spies. (Standing: Michelle Andrews, Judith Lambert, Kelly Giles, Ellen Brown, Prof. Lynne Spies, Lauren Emory, Laurie Carter; Seated: Aimee Hall, Aimee Saunders, Jessica Baskin; Missing: Rick Spies, who, as usual, was taking the picture.)

Our trip itinerary.

Text by Ellen Brown. Photo by Rick Spies.

[Home] [Bath] [Lyme Regis] [Winchester] [Jane's Homes] [The Vyne] [London] [Bibliography] [Reports]