Cassandra, Cassandra, and Sir Richard

House of Jane--Part Two: 

Cassandra, Cassandra, and Sir Richard

            After I finished at Jane’s house I walked down the road to Chawton Great House—once occupied by Jane’s brother, Edward Austen-Knight. It was opened to the public by the Knight family in 1987. More about that later. The walk to Chawton House is about eight minutes and includes some gentle rolling hills if one looks to the left. The path to the house is one that Jane herself would have walked on a regular, almost daily basis. But before I could visit that magnificent country house I had to pay my respects to some of its former guests.

            Both Mrs. Austen and Cassandra Austen are buried in the churchyard of St. Nicholas (also known as Chawton Church). This is not to be confused with the church in Steventon where Rev. Austen was rector. This St. Nicholas was once a chapel for the Knight family. It is now a small-town church with parishioners from Chawton and surrounding areas. The churchyard itself is modest, with tombstones dating back several centuries. The limestone slabs tell the story of the Knight family, and the community they touched. A modest sign marks the graves of two notable residents.

            This way to the graves of Jane Austen’s Mother and Sister.

As you see in the photos they are prominent and yet modest Victorian tombstones for two Regency ladies. Both lived to be great ages for their time. Cassandra Elizabeth lived to be 72. Her mother, also named Cassandra, lived to be 87. It was Cassandra that look care of running the day-to-day chores of the household so that Jane could have time to write. She was her sister’s best friend, and caregiver. She once referred to Jane as, “The guilder of sorrows,” and Cassandra likewise was Jane’s confidant. There’s often been speculation that the Dashwood sisters are fictitious analogues that Jane had molded to resemble herself and Cassandra. I feel there’s not entirely the case, and that Elinor and Marianne might be an amalgam of several young women; with dashes of the Austen sisters sprinkled throughout.  

After the deaths of Jane, and her mother, Cassandra lived on at the cottage. She never married, though was once engaged to Thomas Fowle; a former student of her father. Mr. Fowle died of yellow fever while serving as chaplain to an expedition in the Caribbean, for which Cassandra inherited £1,000.00.

As for Mrs. Austen, she gave birth to eight children; all of whom survived. We’re not entirely sure what kind of relationship Jane had with her mother. But accounts of her mother suggest she was witty, and very down-to-earth. The relationship between mother and daughter is often portrayed in the media as being very problematic. With depictions in both Becoming Jane and Miss Austen Regrets showing a Mrs. Austen that wanted the best for her daughters but was too steeped in tradition to allow flexibility. She did marry a man below her social station, and so it may be assumed that she didn’t want her daughters to suffer a future of poverty. Opportunities for women back then were so few, that marriage was often the only recourse for financial stability. For more on that…well, see every novel Jane had written; in particular S&S and P&P. 

    

            When I saw the graves, I felt a little embarrassed I hadn’t brought flowers. I then thought, “If I knew how to clean the tomb stones, I would.” I was taken by the urge to weed the tombs and would have volunteered…if I had more time or lived closer; even a train ride away. I doubt a pressure washer could be taken through customs. The stones are legible, but in comparison with other, earlier photos I’ve seen of them it is evident that the elements have gone to work on them. The limestone is starting to wear. Perhaps a fundraising campaign to clean and preserve the graves is in order? 

            After I paid my respects I explored the church of St. Nicholas. It has stood there since the 13^th century. However, a fire damaged a large section of the church in 1871. Only the chancel and sanctuary are original. The rest of the church was rebuilt in 1872. It features Norman style architecture, giving one the sense of how it may have looked in the past. Even the Victorian remodel was designed to be consistent, and not look too modern. A large oak door with a heavy cast-iron bolt needed to be lifted to gain entry. A sign that read, “Please close the door behind you,” was strictly heeded. I had the sense that I was entering a medieval church because I was.

          Faith was important to Jane, and her family. After all, her father was a clergyman. I could picture her attending services in this modest, but no less hallowed, church. 

            One of the first things I noticed about the church was the plaques and memorials dedicated to various members of the Knight family. These eventually mingled with non-family members who attended church there. Some plaques were even a bit more recent and dedicated to churchgoers and community members who had passed away.

I saw two marble slabs dedicated to Jane’s sister and mother; one of either side of the entrance to the chancel. Strangely enough, neither plaque mentions Jane. The one dedicated to Mrs. Austen mentions her surviving children at the time of her death. George Austen (Jane's brother that was raised apart from the family) is also not mentioned.  

My apologies for the quality of this photo. It was difficult to get a shot. 

Once inside the chancel I saw the now famous tomb of Sir Richard Knight, parliamentarian and militia leader. He reclines regally with a slight grin on his face. This isn’t a spooky looking tomb. There’s no momento mori to be found here. Instead one has the impression that Sir Richard is rather enjoying himself. As much as one can enjoy themselves in the Great Beyond. He looks every bit the knight and Knight; clad in armor and a cravat, with an empty gauntlet at his side. He looks like he’s about to unwind with a glass of port, while he talks the exploits of a military campaign…in the drawing room.

            Caroline Jane Knight (Jane’s several times great-grand niece, and author of Jane & Me My Austen Heritage) had written in both her book, and blog, about the tradition of placing holly in Sir Richard’s hand during Christmas time. Janeites have now started to revive this tradition. I instantly thought of it when I saw the tomb. This was May, so holly would be very difficult to come by, if not impossible. It’ll have to wait. Sir Richard survived Cromwell, and the fire that threatened his resting place, so I think he’s a patient, and resilient sort. His tomb is very well cared for, and he’s become somewhat of a celebrated figure in Austen circles. His tomb will be visited by many for a long time to come.

I wonder about the empty gauntlet under his hand. What symbolism does that carry? 

           After I snapped a few photos, and dropped a found pounds in the donation box, I headed up the long walk to Chawton House.

            What happened there is what the painter Bob Ross would call, “A happy accident.”

             Text and photos Copyright Riley Joyce 2018

Links
The official website of Chawton Parish council/St. Nicholas Church 
http://chawtonparishcouncil.org/village/chawton-parish-church/

Read about Sir Richard's Parliamentary record. Don't worry, it's a quick read.
http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1660-1690/member/knight-sir-richard-1639-79

Caroline Knight's blog entry about Sir Richard and the Christmas holly.
https://www.austenheritage.com/blog/2017/12/21/janeites-revive-a-lost-christmas-tradition-of-jane-austens-family