A second statue has been unveiled to Jane Austen in her home county of Hampshire, after Alton led the way in June with its own tribute to the beloved author.

The latest unveiling took place at Winchester Cathedral on Thursday, October 16, in the year marking the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth.

The new memorial statue, created by sculptor Martin Jennings, stands in the Cathedral’s Inner Close and was revealed by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson.

Speaking after the unveiling, the Revd Canon Dr Roland Riem, interim dean of Winchester Cathedral, said: “The grave is a ledger stone with some lovely words on it, but we had nothing that signified her legacy, her vision, her vitality, and a sculpture does that better than anything.”

Alton’s bronze statue celebrated Austen’s strong ties to the town, where she lived in the nearby village of Chawton.

The statue in the town’s Regency Garden was unveiled earlier this year by Jane Austen’s great-great-niece, Caroline Knight. It stands close to the site of the bank where Austen’s brother Henry once worked, overlooking the High Street.

The service at Winchester Cathedral featured readings from Pride and Prejudice by Joanna David, Susannah Harker, and Adrian Lukis, stars of the BBC 1995 adaptation, and reflections on Austen’s enduring legacy by cultural historian Professor Michael Wheeler.

Dr Riem led the service, which included new hymns and anthems inspired by Austen’s own words and was live streamed on YouTube.

Sculptor Martin Jennings has also been appointed to create the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II for St James’s Park and is known for his portrait of King Charles for the Royal Mint. He is also behind notable public statues of writers including George Orwell outside the BBC, Philip Larkin in Hull, and Charles Dickens in Portsmouth.