Jane Austen in Worthing – a talk by Susan Belton & David Clark

Woodlands Centre

Towards the end of 1805, Jane Austen, aged 29 and as yet an unpublished novelist, visited Worthing for a month or two, staying at Stanford's Cottage on Warwick Street (now a Pizza Express). During that time, Jane became friends with Edward Ogle, the driving force behind Worthing’s transformation into a well-ordered seaside resort. In 1817, the year of her death, Jane Austen used Worthing as the background for her final, unfinished novel, “Sanditon”, one of whose main characters was based on Ogle. Susan Belton and David Clark from the Worthing Society present this talk exploring the links between “Sanditon” and Worthing in its early days. Entry is free for paid-up members of Rustington Heritage Association. Visitors £5 (cash only) payable at the door. All admissions subject to availability of seats on arrival.