My “Yuletide” Bench Installed in Chawton House Walled Garden

I am delighted to learn the garden bench I donated via North American Friends of Chawton House was one of the first eight installed on the Chawton House grounds this summer. The benches add needed seating in the gardens especially now with the Botanical Women Exhibition and garden tours going. The bench is in the Walled Garden, along the north wall.

I am waiting to hear when the plaques will be installed. Stay tuned for that. “Yuletide by Quill Ink Authors,” plus a book quote, will mark the bench. I had sent a couple of quote selections for the plaque and am hopeful they chose Jane Austen’s words in a letter to her sister, Cassandra: “I went up to the Great House between three and four, and dawdled away an hour very comfortably...” as that was also used in Yuletide anthology (Every year I donate all the profits from Yuletide book sales to Chawton House.)

I can’t wait to return to the UK one day and visit Chawton House again to sit on the bench and enjoy the peace of the garden. If anyone goes to Chawton House, I would love, love, love to see a picture of you sitting on my Quill Ink YULETIDE Authors bench amongst the roses.

Many thanks again for the outstanding story contributions for the Yuletide anthology from authors Joana Starnes, Caitlin Williams, Elizabeth Adams, J. Marie Croft, Anngela Schroeder, Lona Manning, and Amy D’Orazio.

Photos courtesy of North American Friends of Chawton House.