Regency Week is here and, marking 250 years from the birth of Jane Austen, a statue has been unveiled in front of the Alton Assembly Rooms. Today, on Regency Day, excitement built up as crowds of Janeites paraded from the market square and then gathered around the Assembly Rooms to witness the unveiling.
After opening speeches by Caroline Jane Knight (second left), descendant of Edward Austen Knight, and Cllr Annette Eyre, the Mayor of Alton, the statue was unveiled by the Mayor together with Jeremy Knight (also of the Knight family of Chawton House).
Cllr Jannette Eyre, Mayor of Alton's opening speech.
Unveiling of the statue by the Mayor of Alton and Jeremy Knight.
The sculptor, Mark Coreth, collaborated with the Morris Singer foundry to create the bronze sculpture. He explained that he wanted Jane Austen to "rise from her books" and designed the sculpture to reflect her actual height (close to 5'8", which was a significant height for a woman of her time).
Mark Coreth
The statue is situated in a newly created "Regency Garden" with a Regency-inspired planting scheme and flowers mentioned in Jane Austen's letters. I'm sure the Alton residents will enjoy sitting on the "carriage benches" in this garden and take in their surroundings.
What do you think about the new statue?
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