Plans for Jane Austen memorial at Winchester Cathedral to celebrate Hampshire's much-loved author

The novelist died in 1817 in Winchester, after writing titles such as Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), Emma (1815), Persuasion (1817) and Northanger Abbey (1817). In April 2018, Hampshire County Council’s executive member for policy and resources agreed to an Investing in Hampshire grant of £25,000 towards a statue of Jane Austen at Winchester Cathedral. After receiving public feedback, the proposal was dropped. Then, the executive member confirmed that should the project gain support in the future, a re-application would be welcomed.

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Now, Winchester Cathedral has approached the county council with a revised proposal, having considered feedback on the previous design. With this revised submission, it is proposed that Hampshire County Council awards a grant of £10,000 by the leader and executive member for Hampshire 2050 and corporate services, Rob Humby, at his decision day (November 30).

Although it is not the county council’s direct responsibility to fund public art, the administration anticipates the investment could attract visitors of one of “Hampshire’s cultural icons”, and the project “will strengthen the Jane Austen trail across the county, building on the impact of the bicentenary of Jane Austen’s death.”

The total project costs are £100,000, made up of £60,000 for the design and model and a further £40,000 for casting and installation. A total of £73,000 has been raised from private donations, and a contribution of £10,000 has been sought from Winchester City Council.