Museum orchard for 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's sister

Cassandra Austen was born in January 1773

An orchard has been planted to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen's older sister.

Cassandra Austen was three years older than her writer sister and the two were close throughout their lives.

As part of a year of events, the Jane Austen Museum in Chawton, Hampshire, has planted fruit trees in the courtyard the Austens' former home.

Cassandra is credited with sketching the only known portraits of Jane.

The courtyard orchard has six fruit trees

The sisters exchanged letters during their lives, many of which Cassandra later destroyed, reportedly to protect her sister's reputation and that of other family members mentioned in the text.

'Practical help'

As a young woman she suffered tragedy when her fiancé, Tom Fowle, died at sea.

She never married and went on to take on the household management at Chawton, where the Austens lived along with friend Martha Lloyd from 1809.

The museum said Cassandra's "encouragement, love and practical help" allowed Jane to complete her novels, which went on to be so successful after her death in 1817 at the age of 41.

The museum raised more than £3,000 for the Cassandra's Orchard project, which has seen a tree planted for each of Jane Austen's six novels.

Cassandra sketched the only two known portraits of Jane - a back view of her in a blue dress that tantalisingly hides her face, and an unfinished sketch that is now in the National Portrait Gallery.

Other events planning during the year include a Cassandra-themed virtual tour of the museum on 31 March.