Breaking Jane Austen News!
From The Argus [Surrey, UK]:
Visitors to a new Worthing housing estate are in for a literary experience.
Three streets at the Barratt Homes development, The Fieldings have been given names connected to celebrated author Jane Austen.
The Fieldings
[Image from the Barratt Homes website]
Austen found inspiration for many scenes and characters in her final and unfinished novel Sanditon when she visited the town in 1805.
Members of the Jane Austen Society contacted Worthing Borough Council calling for a street name in the town for the author. [it is the JAS-Midlands Branch that spearheaded this effort under the leadership of Chris Sandrawich.]
Barratt Homes have now unveiled the street names as Austen Gate, Sanditon Way and Chawton Gate on the estate. [There is also a block of flats called Mansfield Court.]
Society members and descendants of the author gathered in Worthing to mark the unveiling.
JAS-Midlands Branch
Barratt southern counties sales director Lynnette St Quintin said: “Where we build new homes and create new communities, it is important they are reflective of local history. The Worthing connection with Jane Austen is certainly one for everyone to be proud of.”
[Source: http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10667516.Jane_Austen_gives_inspiration_to_Worthing_roads/]
One wonders with “The Fieldings” so named if there might also be a Joseph Andrews Avenue or a Tom Jones Junction, or how about Bow Street Runners Boulevard … even Jane Austen would like that I think!
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You might recall last year’s efforts regarding the Library Passage in Worthing: this street naming is a partial result of the JAS’s hopes to have some recognition of Jane Austen in the area. There is more to come in a future post from Chris Sandrawich, so stay-tuned, and on your next trek to England be sure to put Worthing on your itinerary; better yet, buy a home here at Chawton Gate!
- Library Passage under Threat
- Chris Sandrawich post on the JAS-Midlands trip to Worthing
- Update on the Library Passage
c2013 Jane Austen in Vermont
Jane Austen in Vermont 
Great news to hear about Worthing. Naming Streets after places connected with Jane Austen and characters from her novels is a stroke of genius. It has brought the worlds focus to one of the seaside towns between Chichester and Brighton.
Worthing, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Shoreham are probably amongst the sleepiest places in England. The most exciting weekly event is Bingo night at one of their once palatial cinemas, and of course a weekly visit to the local library to change the last Barbara Cartland for the next well thumbed Barbara Cartland. Watching another rerun of Dads Army on TV is nightly entertainment. But now it can add the murmurings and stirrings of a new Jane Austen Society, I presume, to take full benefit of Worthing’s connections with the illustrious author.
Worthing, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Shoreham are renowned for their high populations of old aged pensioners; those of 65 years and older. You see the lovely dears walking or staggering along with zimmer frames. Some drive mobility scooters with imaginings of a once youthful and daring Stirling Moss perhaps. They go, purring along the promenades. Bovril and Horlicks are the drinks of choice.
Jane Austen, like the Lone Ranger, has come to the rescue. The sounds of gentle snoring may become muffled by the nasal tones of elderly Americans also staggering with zimmer frames and purring along on mobility scooters, on one more Jane pilgrimage stopover before they die. Imagine the mobility scooter races they could have. Perhaps a new version of the Americas Cup could be born or something along the lines of a, BritAm Mobility Scooter series.)
Long live Worthing!!!! Oh damn, another one gone. Call the undertakers.
Must admit, the new housing estate is looking spanking new in it’s 1930’s style!!!
But don’t be fooled, I presume the houses will have solar panels on the side we can’t see in the pictures, thermal heating from underground recycled water and triple glazing to make sure the insulation has no leaks. Those houses are probably zero energy, believe it or not. How impressive is that? (or am I just dreaming?)
What is Worthing coming to?
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Just noticed in the picture above that Sanditon Way is a cul de sac!!!!!!
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