The Austens of Steventon
book one in the austens trilogy
The Austens of Steventon is a work of biographical fiction that records the early lives of Jane Austen and her family from 1764 to 1801.
Image: front cover of The Austens of Steventon
Image: back cover of The Austens of Steventon
It follows the same chronological order as documented in memoirs, letters, ancestral records and biographies.
If you would like to purchase a copy of The Austens of Steventon, click here.
The Austens of Steventon is the first in a series of three novels that follow the Austen family.
The second, The Austens of Bath, covers the time period from 1801 to 1809. If you would like to visit the companion site for The Austens of Bath, click here.
The third novel in the series, The Austens of Chawton, will cover the time period from July 1809 onwards, and is planned for release at the end of 2026.
Image: front cover of The Austens of Bath
Photo: St. Nicholas' Church, Steventon: home church of the Austen family.
My research has led me to some wonderful places that I would never have seen if it were not for my interest in the Austen family, and it was thrilling to stand in the same spots where these real-life characters stood and imagine how they felt.
This companion site is dedicated to the different locations within the novel and their significance within the story.
how to navigate this site.
LOCATIONS
When you click on 'THE AUSTENS OF STEVENTON' in the top menu, you will find a list of all the locations linked to the book, in alphabetical order. When you click on a location, you will be taken to a new page of photos, links and explanations for why that place is important.
MAPS
The first item on every location page will be a map detailing the precise placement of the village, town or city. You can zoom in and out for an overview of where it is in relation to the rest of the UK. The example below is set for Monk Sherborne.
INFORMATION
On each page, you will find information about the place itself. Every important building linked to the novel is documented with photos, facts and links to third-party sites. The photographs are my own from personal visits, and although the third-party sites are frequently checked and verified, I cannot be held responsible for any content that appears there.
Each location is unique, so you will find some pages will contain more information than others, depending on what took place there. You will find a red link to Google Maps for each property to plan your own directions, and you will learn which characters from the book spent time there and why it was important to them.
EXTRACTS
At the bottom of each page you will find a link to an extract from the novel, connected to the location in question.
You can also go directly to an extract from the top menu bar, by clicking the arrow next to each location.
The extracts are illustrated with a mix of photos from my own library. Not all of these images are from the specific locations mentioned, but may be from other historic sites I have visited. Every photograph has a credit to show where it was taken; please look them up if a particular setting or view catches your eye.
You should be aware that although photographs enhance the extracts on this website, there are no illustrations or photographs within the book itself.
REFERENCES
This book would never have been possible if it were not for the years of research conducted by historians and scholars before me. At the foot of each page, you will find a list of sources that I used to provide the information on that page.
I would like to express my thanks to everyone who contributed towards them. If you would like to see the full list of sources I used for the entire novel, broken down into topics, then you will find that here.
SECONDARY SETTINGS
There are some settings in the book that are not given pages of their own as no significant scenes took place there. However, they are still important to some of the characters in the story. The Family Homes page has maps and links to third-party websites for the properties concerned, and the Ships page documents the dates that the sailor brothers were on board, together with a link to the Wikipedia pages for most vessels.
FAMILY TREES
You will find family trees for the Austen, Fowle, Lloyd, Leigh and Cooper families on the Family Trees page. Along with names, dates and branches to link the individuals together, you will also find a brief explanation of who each person is to identify them quickly within the novel.
HAVE I MISSED ANYTHING?
I am always keen to speak to readers who have personal knowledge about the places I have visited. If you have connections to anywhere mentioned on this site and would like to share your wisdom, then please get in touch.
Likewise, if you spot an error in something I have written, then please let me know.
You can contact me via email on info@diane-jane-ball.com
a word about the TIMELINE
This companion website is dedicated solely to the novel, The Austens of Steventon. Consequently, all of the information written on these pages covers the time period from 1754 until May 1801.
Some of the places mentioned will become more important to certain characters later on in their lives. Where this is true, you will find more information about them on the companion websites of the other novels in the series.
For a quick reminder, The Austens of Bath spans the time period from May 1801 until July 1809, and the third novel, The Austens of Chawton, will continue from July 1809 onwards.
To visit the companion website for The Austens of Bath, click here.
The companion website for The Austens of Chawton will be available at the end of 2026.