House, Gardens & Cafe Open Tuesday - Sunday 10.30 - 17.00

Quilted Needle Case Workshop

As part of Alton’s Jane Austen Regency Week we are holding a sewing workshop on Friday 24th June

Starts 10:30am (should finish 1pm)

Make a beautiful quilted case for your pins and needles, perfect for sewing on the go! Inspired by Jane Austen’s own quilting choose your own fabrics to create a completely unique item that is personal to you. All while enjoying the company of like minded people in the beautiful home of Gilbert White. The course will be lead by Frances Law.

Materials supplied, includes admission to the house and garden.

£15

    Gilbert Whites House

    Gilbert White was aged 7 or 8 when the White family moved from the Vicarage on Selborne’s Plestor, to this house, called ‘The Wakes’ (named after the Wake family who had lived here previously). At that time the property would have been no more than a ‘two up, two down’  but over the subsequent years lots of extensions and additions have been made, creating the long sizeable house you see today.

    The rooms have been restored following descriptions in White’s own correspondence and include a chair he used at Oriel College, Oxford (loaned from the College), items of contemporary furniture, family portraits and bed hangings embroidered for him by his aunts.

    On display is the original manuscript of his book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, which was purchased with generous help from English Heritage and others.

    Learn more