St Nicholas Church, Chawton

What it is

This is a modern photograph, taken in 2007 by Antony McCallum, of St Nicholas Church in Chawton, Jane Austen's parish church. The flint-walled Gothic Revival building has a tall tower, and its churchyard contains the graves of Austen's mother and sister.

Why it matters

This church was part of the daily life of the Austen family during the years Jane Austen lived in Chawton, where she did much of her writing. The burial of her mother and sister there connects the building directly to her family's history, even though Austen herself was buried elsewhere.

Look closer

• What does the presence of family graves here tell us about the Austen family's connection to this place?
• Why might it matter to historians that a building like this has survived, even though it has likely changed since Austen's time?
• What clues in the photo suggest this is a relatively modern image rather than a historical one?