Jane Austen’s Familial Link to Kincardine Castle

A legacy of wit, wisdom and timeless tales (Jane Austen 1775-2025)

This year marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. Devoted fans across the globe are invited to attend various festivals and events to commemorate this pioneering 19th-century author’s legacy and lasting impact on literature and history. Whilst we touch on how she was celebrated for her exquisite wit, memorable characters and universal themes, we’ll briefly explore how Jane Austen’s ties to the gentry of the day might have influenced her writing, and why a visit to Kincardine Castle can offer a unique opportunity to walk in the footsteps of history.

Austen’s family links to the upper classes

While Jane Austen is often associated with her keen observations of nobility and society, few people are aware that she has a direct family connection to a castle that had once been a centrepiece of aristocracy and a magnificent example of historic architecture: Kincardine Castle in Scotland.

Also, one of her brothers, Admiral Francis Austen, married into the aristocracy, and the other, Edward Austen Knight, lived on a large country estate, so she may well have visited other grand houses or castles back in England as well. So, whilst not from the landed gentry herself, Miss Austen most certainly had connections to the higher classes of society.

The castle connection - ‘Great Aunt Jane’

Kincardine Castle in Royal Deeside, Scotland, is the private 19th-century country home of the Bradford family. Fascinatingly, Jane Austen was a great aunt (x five generations) to Edward Bradford, Kincardine’s current owner.

The enchanting castle is home to numerous artefacts in reference to the famous novelist, including portraits of Jane Austen and her family at Kincardine, and many paintings of Chawton, the Hampshire village where she wrote during the last years of her life. There is also a castle bedroom named after the celebrated author and a collection of her childhood toys.

Images from the Jane Austen Room at Kincardine Castle

Even though Jane Austen herself may not have lived in such a grand estate, these connections would have helped place her in the broader world of the upper class, which is often reflected in the settings and social dynamics in her novels, and might well have inspired her writing.

Jane Austen’s novels and country house estates

The beloved 19th-century author is famed for her novels where grand houses of the landed gentry serve as key settings; from Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice to Norland Park in Sense and Sensibility to Donwell Abbey Estate in Emma and the grand house Austen is most famous for Mansfield Park.

Jane Austen is often associated with her keen observations of the British gentry and the insightful commentary on the societal norms of her time, exploring themes of wealth, marriage, inheritance, and status—all of which are tied to landed estates.

Splendid British charm

But Jane Austen’s writing went further than just describing these desirable lifestyles and magnificent settings; her novels are beloved for their sharp wit, subtle humour and dramatic irony, where the audience knows more than the characters themselves.

Real feelings and emotions

Furthermore, the remarkable writer has been praised across the centuries for her memorable characters. She focusses on dialogue driven novels in which the protagonists often experience personal growth. The attention on inner qualities like integrity, kindness and self-awareness, is central to her stories, with her characters’ moral choices being key to their personal happiness.

Writing across the genres

The celebrated author wrote primarily romantic and domestic fiction, comedy of manners and Gothic parody. So as well as creating beautiful historic backdrops in the form of grand country homes, Jane Austen developed universally themed stories with timeless human emotions. This is why her novels still capture the imaginations of, and resonate with, readers today.

Austen’s legacy in modern times

Jane Austen’s legacy lives on, not just in her novels, but in the places and families she was connected to; whether through the Bradford family at Kincardine Castle, her regular haunt for its notable architecture, Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, or Godmersham Park, home of her brother, Edward, where she was a regular guest. These properties and land stand as symbols of history and heritage, just as Austen’s works continue to reflect the social structures of her time.

Stay at Kincardine Castle

Situated within 3000 acres of mature gardens and parkland, Kincardine Castle is available for private stays for up to 22 guests in twelve beautiful bedrooms. The charmingly decorated Victorian home can be exclusively yours, with an esteemed team of private chefs and professional household staff to help create a stay tailored to your needs.

Take the opportunity to “live like the landed gentry” for a few days, perhaps even with an Austen-inspired itinerary…

Your very own historic storybook setting

Kincardine can offer a unique opportunity to walk in the footsteps of history and, for any truly devoted fans of Jane Austen, to feel a tangible connection to a literary icon. The author is famous for her writing about grand houses and people, but is moreover celebrated for blending humour, romance and social commentary to create timeless novels that are not only entertaining but also offer deep insights into human nature.

As advocates of castles and country houses and the joy that staying in one can bring, we at Celtic Castles love these stone-walled properties for many reasons. But what we most admire is how they can offer a special place, each one a unique chapter in the story of history, where families and friends can spend quality time together, whether for a celebration, holiday or simply for the grandeur and the sanctuary.

We are in no doubt that Miss Austen would most heartily agree…

If you would like to speak to us regarding your own castle stay, please get in touch.