The Country House Podcast

Geoffrey Heath-Taylor co-hosts the wonderful podcast series The Country House Podcast, alongside his co-host Rory Fraser. Here they discuss all things country houses, shining a light on the profiles of these estates, not only as aesthetic assets to the British countryside, but also as important historical monuments and essential parts of our national heritage and identity.

Over the summer, Geoffrey visited Chawton House to learn more about their collection and the important conservation work that they do.

Chawton House

The Chawton House collection is the UK’s only public collection dedicated to pre-20th century women’s writing, representing a uniquely important resource for scholars, readers, and the wider public. The collection consists primarily of printed books, including rare first editions by celebrated authors such as Jane Austen, Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Robinson, Eliza Haywood, and Frances Burney. Alongside these iconic works, the collection holds thousands of titles by writers who have since faded from public memory, offering a rare opportunity to rediscover forgotten voices of women’s literary history.

Beyond its remarkable book holdings, the collection includes manuscripts - notably one in Austen’s own hand - as well as 20 portraits of notable women, original artworks, prints, letters, and ephemera. The Knight (Austen) family collection, held on long-term loan, adds a deeply personal dimension: it features furniture and artworks known to Austen herself, some of which are described in her novels. Additionally, the remains of the Godmersham Park library, which influenced Austen’s imagination, are carefully preserved here. Whenever a “Lost Sheep” volume from that library surfaces for sale, efforts are made to reunite it with its historical home at Chawton House.

The collection also encompasses estate archives and a substantial secondary collection of published research, supporting both scholarly and public engagement.

Caring for the Collection

When the transformation of Chawton House began in 2019, the full extent of the holdings was not yet understood. While the library’s books and manuscripts had been beautifully catalogued and conserved, other historic items had been treated as mere decorative elements. During this journey of discovery, remarkable treasures were found hidden in unexpected places, including an 18th-century embroidered map tucked away in a pool cue cupboard; Henry Austen-related banknotes; a huge framed map of early 19th-century London stored in an attic; and notebooks and a botanical diary created by two female residents of Chawton House.

Since then, the team at Chawton House has undertaken a complete Collections Review, overhauling the management processes to such a high standard that lenders and donors now have a deep level of confidence in them. This transformation has led to significant acquisitions, including the Maria Graham Collection, rare first editions of Burney and Wollstonecraft, Agnes Strickland’s scrapbook, and the long-term loan of a rare presentation copy of Emma.

Today, they use the collection to tell more diverse and compelling stories. Their outreach includes dynamic exhibitions, Sunday pop-up shows, guided showcase tours, educational visits, and engaging social media content. Highlights include:

• The 2024/25 Mary Robinson Exhibition: The most ambitious exhibition to date, combining the holdings with loans from institutions such as the National Portrait Gallery, Chequers, Hertfordshire Archives, and the Garrick Club.

• Chawton in Stitches: A popular exhibition featuring the degree show of a Royal School of Embroidery graduate inspired by Chawton House, sparking a new initiative to support creative practices through their expanded Visiting Fellowships scheme.

• Immersive Experiences: From costumed readings of historic parlour plays to a Gothic trail inspired by the collection, they have created interactive and memorable experiences for visitors.

• Community Engagement: Low-season collection close-ups, retail ranges designed by student General Assistants, and opportunities for early-career creatives and scholars to explore and interpret the collection.

For the first time in five years, they have been able to lend objects to other institutions, sharing the story of Chawton House beyond its own walls through collaborations with Gilbert White’s House, Winchester College, and Winchester Cathedral.

The care, documentation, and conservation efforts of the dedicated volunteer collections team ensures the continued preservation of the collection, while also supporting public access and engagement. This has transformed Chawton House into a living, evolving centre for the study and celebration of women’s literary history.

The winner of this year's award will be announced this November. Stay tuned as we announce other shortlist contenders over the next few weeks.