Shopping at Winchester with the Divine Miss A.

Jane Austen

Ok in Winchester shopping …

Shop A - Florist

Assistant to family group asking about flowers.

‘Yes we had a funeral this week - quite short notice.

Grandmother. ‘They changed the date of my sister-in-law’s funeral. They brought hers forward as they had a cancellation.’

Wait ! What!

Shop B

Waterstones

Two loved up teenagers sitting on the floor by bookcases.

Girl ‘ooh - I’ve just seen a book for my mother’

Boy ‘what?’

Girl ‘ that book called Give Love’

Boy ‘ well she won’t get the point of that at all’

Girl . ‘ she is a bit difficult’

Boy ‘ yep’

There is an entire novel in this conversation.

And finally…Miss Austin

Of course I visited Winchester’s cathedral as I just love that building. I walked along the nave and across to the Jane Austin shrine that had gathered a small clique of American tourists around it. A banner with her portrait announced that they were indeed on holy ground for writers everywhere.

One of the tourists looked balefully at the banner.

‘They always show that picture of her,’ she remarked to her friend. ‘It’s so dull - why can’t we have another of Jane?.’

Her friend considered

‘I don’t think people had their portraits taken very often in those days,’ she replied.

‘Oh, come on,’ replied the first tourist firmly .’ They must be another photograph of her somewhere.’

Ah yes, the selfie taking Instagram influencer that was Miss Austen. Suggest we start checking our attics now. She is out there - somewhere

Love Sarah x