Gilbert White's House & Gardens - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Chawton House is an Elizabethan manor house that once belonged to Jane Austen's brother, Edward. Visitors can enjoy the ‘Great House’ referred to in Jane Austen’s letters, relax in the peace and tranquillity of the gardens, and find inspiration in the lives and works of its women writers. The Centre, which runs study programmes in association with the nearby University of Southampton, incorporates a significant library, a collection of over 9000 books and related manuscripts.

It was in this picturesque cottage that Jane Austen’s genius flourished and where she wrote, revised, and had published all six of her treasured novels, including the timeless Pride and Prejudice. Today it is a Grade I listed building and one of the most important literary sites in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year. The Museum holds an important collection of objects associated with Jane Austen, including letters written by Jane and personal effects belonging to her a

Alice Holt Forest lies at the northwestern corner of the Weald where the bounding rim of Chalk swings round from a south-north trending outcrop to the west-east alignment of the Hog’s Back anticline. It is now planted mainly with conifers. The forest is now part of the South Downs National Park, which was established on 31 March 2010, and it forms the most northerly gateway to the park.

This is one of the largest bird parks in the country, located on the Hampshire border with Surrey it is a great place to explore for a fun and informative day out. In addition to a walk around 26 acres of aviaries and beautiful landscaped gardens, visitors can admire over 800 birds and 180 species from around the world and take part in educational feeding sessions throughout the day.

Hollycombe Steam in the Country, situated on the Hampshire and Sussex border, is home to Britain's largest collection of working steam, with two working steam railways. It has some of the oldest and most thrilling fairground rides of their day including the world's first white-knuckle ride, the 'Razzle Dazzle'. The collection also includes the beautiful Golden Gallopers with an original Gaviolli Fairground Organ, steam-powered Chair-o-planes and a Big Wheel.

Frensham Common is a fine example of open Surrey heathland. It is one of the largest expanses in the Weald. This man-made beach stretches along a 13th century lake giving ample opportunity to sunbathe and swim in warm weatherIt covers roughly 1,000 acres of attractive countryside and is owned by the National Trust.