Godmersham Park – Gill Hornby

Part of the 51st Rye Arts Festival 2025

We are delighted to welcome Sunday Times bestselling author Gill Hornby to Rye to talk about her latest book Godmersham Park.

On 21 January 1804, Anne Sharpe arrives at Godmersham Park in Kent to take up the position of governess. At 31 years old, she has no previous experience of either teaching or fine country houses. Her mother has died, and she has nowhere else to go. Anne is left with no choice. For her new charge – twelve-year-old Fanny Austen – Anne’s arrival is all novelty and excitement.

The governess role is a uniquely awkward one. Anne is neither one of the servants, nor one of the family, and to balance a position between the ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’ members of the household is a diplomatic chess game. One wrong move may result in instant dismissal. Anne knows that she must never let down her guard.

When Mr Edward Austen’s family comes to stay, Anne forms an immediate attachment to Jane. They write plays together, and enjoy long discussions. However, in the process, Anne reveals herself as not merely pretty, charming and competent; she is clever too. Even her sleepy, complacent mistress can hardly fail to notice. Meanwhile Jane’s brother, Henry, begins to take an unusually strong interest in the lovely young governess… And from now on, Anne’s days at Godmersham Park are numbered.

The author of the bestselling Miss Austen returns to the life of the celebrated Regency novelist with an elegant, atmospheric account of a young governess forming a firm friendship with the literary genius.

‘So good, so intelligent, so clever, so entertaining – I adored it.’ CLAIRE TOMALIN