Winchester Cathedral has unveiled a statue of Jane Austen following a service to mark the 250th anniversary of her birth.
Jane Austen Statue Unveiled at Winchester Cathedral
The memorial statue of Austen by the artist Martin Jennings was unveiled after the service by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire Nigel Atkinson.
Martin Jennings has just been appointed to create a sculpture of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for the UK’s national memorial in St James’s Park. He is also known for his recent portrait of King Charles for the Royal Mint.
One highlight of the service was a dramatic reading from Pride and Prejudice by the actors Joanna David, Susannah Harker, and Adrian Lukis, stars from the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of this much-loved novel.
In the service, the eminent cultural historian Professor Michael Wheeler explored Jane Austen’s legacy. There were new words in praise of Jane’s achievements by the hymn writer Rosalind Brown, to a tune Austen would have known. The service was enriched by two specially commissioned anthems, settings of Jane’s own prayer, as well as by Benjamin Britten’s joyful setting of Psalm 100.
You can catch up with the service on Winchester Cathedrals YouTube here.
Photo caption: L to R Artist Martin Jennings, Hampshire Lord Lieutenant Nigel Atkinson and The Reverend Canon Dr Roland Riem
