Letter Fourteen, Post Sixteen

Wednesday 19 March 2014
To Cassandra, from Steventon, "James Digweed has had a very ugly cut-how could it happen?-It happened by a young horse which he had lately purchased, & which he was trying to back into its stable;-the Animal kicked him down with his forefeet, & kicked a great hole in his head;- he scrambled away as soon as he could, but was stunned for a time, & suffered a good deal of pain afterwards.-Yesterday he got up the Horse again, & for fear of something worse, was forced to throw himself off.-" - Jane Austen, Tuesday 18-Wednesday 19 December 1798

This is just a fun fact, but the Miss Lyford mentioned in the last post would eventually marry James Digweed in June 1803-even with the "great hole in his head."

James Digweed was born in 1774 so he was about twenty-four at this time. Jane may have given us a little insight into James Digweed's personality when she wrote in letter number fifteen, "We are to have Company to dinner on friday; the three Digweeds and James.-We shall be a nice silent party I suppose." I believe James would have been her brother, James. It is said he was reserved.

 The Digweeds were tenants of Steventon manor-house and estate. The estate was owned by Edward Austen Knight, Jane Austen's brother.

I suspect this is what the manor house looked like in Jane Austen's time. It has been demolished four times since then. The following link has some interesting information:

http://hantsgtrg.pbworks.com/w/page/16630138/Steventon%20Manor

Steventon Manor

I believe this is what it looks like today. It is a beautiful house.

I hope you enjoyed your day today!
Terrie