Saskia makes a start...

This project is entirely different from the crafting I usually do, but I've had it in my head for a long time now. 

I've been a Pride and Prejudice (and other Jane Austen novels) fan since I first saw the 1995 BBC mini-series with Colin Firth diving into the lake. I've re-read, re-watched, visited historical places. I used to hang around on the Republic of Pemberley, on and off for years. I've also done a fair amount of reading on daily life in the Georgian era when Jane Austen lived and set her novels. 

 In the novel, Mrs Bennet tries to defend the countryside to Mr Darcy by saying they "dined with four-and-twenty families in this neighbourhood"

In 2016, we moved to the countryside in England. There are houses here that still look like they did in 1800. We're surrouned by places called Such-and-such House and Somewhere Court and Grand Old Hall. So, logically, I started wondering:

Who were Mrs Bennet's "four and twenty families"? 

Let's find out. Do some experimental history.

Starting with some disclaimers:

• Not a historian. I'm a scientist, I'm used to Finding Stuff Out, but I've not been formally trained in historical research, dating buildings etc.
• I'm in Worcestershire/Warwickshire, not Hertfordshire. Big Assumption One is that they would have been sufficiently similar at the time, and I could probably make a case for Hertfordshire having changed more in the intervening period because of its proximity to London, but I'm not going to bother. I will attempt to identify the houses where people suitable for the Bennet's to interact with would have lived.
• COVID. I may not be able to access certain things/places for now. 
• There is no timeline, this is a hobby. The whole thing may get abandoned, but interactions may help keep me motivated. 
  

Like all the best projects this one immediately grew several heads for every head I cut off. Or possibly tentacles. Index as follows:

• I will start with an analysis of the characters mentioned in Pride and Prejudice and their social circles. There will probably be diagrams.
• We'll discuss what 'genteel' is. I may pull in information from the other novels for this one because there is a wider range of examples. More diagrams. 
  
• I will try to identify the houses in our "neighbourhood" and see which would have been considered "genteel enough". There may be maps, and more diagrams, and possibly diagrams on maps! 
• I will attempt a 3-mile walk in my Regency dress at some point. It may not survive this.
  

I will try to remember to link the individual parts of the project in this post as I write them, and add other parts as they come up, but no promises!