Recently, Steventon House in Basingstoke, Hampshire was put on the market for sale. It has quite a pedigree. It was built as a rectory for the parish church in 1820 by Jane Austen’s brother Edward to replace her birthplace, Steventon Rectory, which was not considered well situated, required extensive repairs, and was not quite swank enough for his son William Knight who was taking over the parish duties from his cousin Henry Austen, Jane’s brother. Sadly, Jane Austen’s birthplace was demolished and all that remains today is the water pump. So, if you have £4.5 million sitting around collecting dust in your library, Steventon House with 51 acres, a cottage, a carriage house, tennis courts, swimming pool and extensive gardens could be yours – but don’t procrastinate. According to the London Times, buyers have been queuing up for the opportunity. It appears that Georgian properties in England are haute and a great investment if you can afford it. If I had my druthers, I would buy one too.Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose
