Jane Austen’s London

Between writing obligations, publisher meetings, and family to visit Jane made many trips to London in her adult life. While she never called it home, she spent a fair amount of time in the city and knew it well. From theatre to shopping and pleasure gardens to meeting with royals, she was a lady about town.

Jane Visited

50 Albemarle Street

The London office of John Murray, Austen’s publisher of Emma and Mansfield Park.

Sloane Square

Jan’e brother Henry Austen's lived just off of Sloane Square, so Jane would have walked these streets when visiting.

Carlton House

Jane was invited to meet the Prince Regent and see his library. The prince’s librarian told Jane she had permission to dedicate her next book to the prince, which she begrudgingly did. She did not like the man on iota.

Henry's Townhouse

Home to Jane’s brother- she would stay here visiting or having meetings in London. The location was ideal for the Marylebone and Mayfair London society life. Now a hotel, you can actually stay here.

Lyceum Theatre

Jane enjoyed the theatre and she saw Don Juan here.

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

It was here that Jane saw The Merchant of Venice.

Royal Opera House

Jane regularly attended the opera on her visits to London.

Temple

Jane bought tea at Twinings on the Strand, which has been in the same location since 1706. It is the oldest tea shop in London and you can still visit and enjoy their tea.

Regency London

While there are many confirmed places that Jane visited, there are some places not mentioned. These locations below were popular places for the likes of Jane to visit while in London. These regency icons are still in use today, and can be enjoyed much in the same way now as they were hundreds of years ago.

Pall Mall

In regency London it was filled with shops and institutions.

Spring Gardens

An old pleasure garden by St. James Park.

Bond Street

One of the most fashionable shopping streets in Regency London, and still fashionable today. Many luxury brands call this area home.

Leicester Square

The heart of London’s theatre district.

St James's Palace

The centre of regency London’s royal and aristocratic scene.

Hatchards

London’s oldest bookstore.

Russell Square, St James's Church, Marylebone Parish Church, Burlington House, and Somerset House were all cultural keystones in Regency London.

London in Austen’s Books

While London is not the main setting in any of her novels, it still plays a part in many of the books.

Drury Lane, Berkeley Street, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens are all mentioned in

Sense and Sensibility. Cheapside or The City, is mentioned in Pride and Prejudice and was a middle/ working class area that was older and not as new and shiny as the Mayfair area.