The grounds of Chawton House were filled with joy and nostalgia as Caroline Jane Knight, Jane Austen’s fifth great-niece, hosted a remarkable 250th birthday celebration for her famous ancestor.

Caroline, the last member of the Austen family to grow up at Chawton House when it was still the Knight family home, organised what became the largest public gathering of Austen descendants in history.

Jane Austen Literacy Foundation ambassadors, volunteers, donors and supporters gathered at Jane Austen’s statue in the churchyard in Chawton, to pay their respects
Jane Austen Literacy Foundation ambassadors, volunteers, donors and supporters gathered at Jane Austen’s statue in the churchyard in Chawton, to pay their respects. (Jane Austen Literacy Foundation)

Among those present was Adam Knight, the current heir to Chawton House, adding further historic significance to the occasion.

The celebration drew Jane Austen admirers from around the globe, including special guest Susannah Harker, ambassador for the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation.

Ms Harker is known for playing Jane, the eldest of the Bennet sisters, in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

She is now bringing Austen’s world to life once again with her original screenplay, Jane Bennet’s Second Spring, which is in development.

Caroline Jane Knight (centre) with her parents Carol and Jeremy Knight pictured in Dyers Barn, in the grounds of Chawton House
Caroline Jane Knight, centre, with her parents Carol and Jeremy Knight pictured in Dyers Barn, in the grounds of Chawton House. (Jane Austen Literacy Foundation)

The film invites Austen fans worldwide to participate - and even appear on screen.

A highlight of the afternoon was the announcement of the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation’s annual writing competition winner.

This year’s winning short story, Story Time by Lisette Abrahams, was read aloud by Harker to an enthusiastic audience. Abrahams was present to receive recognition for her work.

During the celebration, Caroline made another notable announcement: the forthcoming publication of a landmark edition of Pride and Prejudice.

For the first time since 1833, an Austen novel will feature an introduction written by a member of her family. All proceeds from this edition will go toward the Foundation’s mission to support global literacy.

Four generations of Austen descendants – Carol and Jeremy Knight, with granddaughter Millie, great granddaughter Pea and daughter Caroline Jane Knight
Four generations of Austen descendants – Carol and Jeremy Knight, with granddaughter Millie, great granddaughter Pea and daughter Caroline Jane Knight (Jane Austen Literacy Foundation)

Caroline established the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation in 2014 to promote reading and writing through international literacy initiatives. The Foundation continues to honour Austen’s legacy by inspiring readers around the world/

The day’s festivities also included a Regency circus performer, a beautifully crafted birthday cake, and speakers from around the world who shared personal stories of how Jane Austen has influenced their lives.

It was a fitting tribute to an author whose influence continues to resonate, two and half centuries after her birth.

The event also captured the enduring bond between Jane Austen’s family and the community.