A DESPERATE appeal to save Jane Austen’s historic Chawton home from financial ruin has smashed through its £75,000 target after donations flooded in from across the globe this week.

Jane Austen’s House launched its appeal at www.justgiving.com/campaign/janeaustenshouse-COVID19appeal after warning it faced closure by the end of the year because of the financial pressures of the Covid-19 lockdown.

But to the charity’s astonishment, the appeal took off, and was approaching £100,000 raised as the Herald went to press.

The house, where Austen completed all six of her novels and lived for the last eight years of her life, receives no regular public funding and is dependent on visitors and supporters.

It therefore hit hard when it was forced to close its doors on March 20, putting the house – and the 16 staff and 50 volunteers – at risk.

Director, Lizzie Dunford said: “Thank you so much to everyone who has helped us to reach and exceed our £75,000 target. We are keeping the campaign open and running as everything extra helps us not just to survive, but to recover.

“This means that we will be able to continue our work to share Jane’s legacy, and to open the doors to her special and unique home with you.

“The more we raise now, the more confidently we can look to the future.”