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Pride & Prejudice

Goodnestone Park, Stately home in Kent

In 1791 the 3rd Baronet’s daughter, Elizabeth married Jane Austen’s older brochure Edward and the young Jane began to make frequent visits to the couple’s home on the Goodnestone estate.  She clearly found life there inspiring, for it was after her visit to Goodnestone in 1796 that Jane began work on her second novel Pride & Prejudice.  She often mentioned the house in correspondence and her brother’s eldest daughter Fanny was to become a favourite niece and the namesake of Fanny Price in Mansfield Park. The house has remained in the Bridges family to this day and the current owner, the 22nd Baron FitzWalter, Julian Plumptre grew up there along with his four brochures.  Julian and his wife Sally decided the house must earn its keep in some way to ensure its future so have revamped the house extensively.  It has been two years since the house welcomed its first paying guests.