Extract from chapter 15

1817: funeral day

Join Jane Austen's brothers and her nephew as she is laid to rest at Winchester Cathedral.

Cassandra and Mary stood numbly before the little bow window to watch the procession leave. Passers-by removed their hats in respect, and it was not long before the two women had to strain to hear the sound of the trundling wheels at a distance. When the sorry band of men reached the end of the road, they turned right towards the cathedral, and the women lost sight of them altogether.

The sky was pale as the men made their way, and soft white clouds promised a brighter day to come. It was still not yet nine in the morning, and the mourners were glad of their woollen coats.

Photo: Bow window in College Street, Winchester.

Catherine Heathcote observed the procession when it passed her house, weeping quietly into her handkerchief; then when it reached the north- side door of the cathedral, it came to an abrupt halt.

Photo: Winchester Cathedral

A single clergyman stood waiting for them, offering no greeting beyond a subtle nod of his head. He gestured to the pall with his hand, for the undertaker to pick it up and as the vicar read from The Book of Common Prayer, the bearer draped the black velvet cloth over Jane’s coffin.

‘I am the resurrection and the light, saith the Lord…’ spoke the vicar, and when the pall was straight, he started walking towards the open grave. The bearers followed, carrying the coffin, and placed it down next to the newly prepared vault. Two ropes lay beside it for the lowering, and the four mourners assumed their positions. They stood identically, with bowed heads and their hands folded in front of them. The air was cooler inside the cathedral than it was outside, and great stone pillars towered over them like witnesses.

When the opening prayers were concluded, the clergyman turned his page to the Lesson, and although the reading was long, nobody moved. The bearers stepped forward when it was time to lower the coffin, and a faint scrape of wood against stone echoed distastefully. The vicar dropped a small scoop of earth into the vault, never pausing in his blessing: ‘Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God in his mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear sister…’

Henry swallowed dryly, and James Edward was shaking. The young man bit his lip to help retain his composure, but Frank and Edward stood like statues. Years of attending formalities had trained them how to behave, and they detached themselves by imagining themselves to be somewhere else.

‘Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust,’ concluded the clergyman and in whispered, broken voices, the mourners recited together the Lord’s Prayer.

Photo: Winchester Cathedral

After one final blessing, the clergyman closed his book and the funeral was concluded. In scarcely half an hour they had honoured Jane’s life and committed her to eternal rest. As if heaven itself were speaking, a soft ray of sunshine broke through a high window and fell across the place where she lay.

The clergyman and the bearers stood back, and Edward and Frank turned to leave. James Edward lingered a little longer, hesitating between taking a final look into his Aunt Jane’s grave and following his uncles out. His desire to savour the moment won, and he stood for a minute longer with Henry. But when he realised his uncle was deep in painful thoughts, he left him alone and went outside.

Photo: Winchester Cathedral Green

Within a few more minutes, worshippers began arriving for morning service at the cathedral, and Henry knew the time for their ceremony was up. With a stern nod to the vicar and the bearers, he stepped away from the vault and joined the others who were waiting for him on the green. They were all looking up to the sky where the sun was doing its best to burst through the clouds. If they did not know any better, they would have sworn it was Jane reaching out to touch them.