| 1775, | Dec. 16 | Birth, at Steventon. |
| 1779, | June | Charles John Austen born. |
| 1780, | July | James Austen matriculated at Oxford (St. John's). |
| 1782 | | Jane and Cassandra at Oxford under care of Mrs. Cawley (sister of Dr. Cooper). |
| 1783 | | Mrs. Cawley having moved to Southampton, Jane nearly died there of a fever.
Mrs. Cooper (her aunt) took the infection and died (October). |
| 1784 | | The Rivals acted at Steventon. |
| 1784 | or 1785 | Jane and Cassandra left Mrs. Latournelle's school at Reading, and returned home. |
| 1786 | | Eliza Comtesse de Feuillide came to England. |
| | | Birth of her son. |
| 1787 | | James Austen in France. |
| 1788, | July | Henry Austen matriculated at Oxford (St. John's). |
| | | Francis Austen went to sea. |
| 1791 | | Edward Austen married Elizabeth Bridges. |
| 1792, | March | James Austen married Anne Mathew. |
| 1794, | Feb. | Comte de Feuillide guillotined. |
| 1795 | (?) | Cassandra engaged to Thomas Fowle. |
| | May | Mrs. James Austen died. |
| 1795 | -6 | Mr. Tom Lefroy at Ashe. |
| 1796 | | First Impressions (Pride and Prejudice) begun. |
| | | Jane subscribed to Camilla. |
| 1797, | Jan. | James Austen married Mary Lloyd. |
| | Feb. | Thomas Fowle died of fever in the W. Indies. |
| | Nov. | Jane, with mother and sister, went to Bath. |
| | | First Impressions refused by Cadell. |
| | | Sense and Sensibility (already sketched in Elinor and Marianne) begun. |
| | Dec. | Henry Austen married Eliza de Feuillide. |
| 1798, | Aug. | Lady Williams (Jane Cooper) killed in a carriage accident. |
| | | Mrs. Knight gave up Godmersham to the Edward Austens. |
| | Jane's first visit there. |
| 1798, | Aug. | First draft of Northanger Abbey begun. |
| 1799, | May | Jane at Bath with the Edward Austens. |
| | Aug. | Mrs. Leigh Perrot's trouble at Bath. |
| 1801, | May | Family move from Steventon to Bath. Visit to Sidmouth. |
| | Possible date of Jane's romance in the west of England. |
| 1802 | | Austens at Dawlish and Teignmouth. |
| | | Visit of sisters to Steventon and Manydown. |
| | | Jane received an offer of marriage from an old friend. |
| 1803 | | Northanger Abbey (called Susan) revised, and sold to Crosby of London. |
| 1804 | | Probable date of The Watsons. |
| | Sept. | Austens at Lyme. |
| | Dec. | Mrs. Lefroy of Ashe killed by a fall from her horse. |
| 1805, | Jan. | Death of Jane's father at Bath. |
| 1806, | July | Austens left Bath for Clifton, Adlestrop, and Stoneleigh. |
| 1806 | -7 | Austens settled at Southampton. |
| 1807, | March | Took possession of house in Castle Square. |
| 1808, | Sept. | Cassandra at Godmersham. |
| | Oct. | Mrs. Edward Austen died there after the birth of her eleventh child (John). |
| 1809, | April | Jane attempted to secure publication of Susan (Northanger Abbey). |
| | | Austens left Southampton. |
| | July | Austens took possession of Chawton (having been at Godmersham).
Jane's authorship resumed. |
| 1811, | April | Jane with Henry in London (Sloane Street) bringing out Sense and Sensibility. |
| | Oct. | Sense and Sensibility published. |
| 1812 | | Death of Mrs. T. Knight. Edward Austen took the name of 'Knight.' |
| 1813, | Jan. | Publication of Pride and Prejudice. |
| | April | Death of Mrs. Henry Austen (Eliza). |
| | Sept. | Jane's last visit to Godmersham. |
| | | Second edition of Sense and Sensibility. |
| 1814, | Jan. | Emma begun. |
| | March | Jane went to London with Henry (reading Mansfield Park by the way). |
| | May | Mansfield Park published. |
| | | Threat of lawsuit for Chawton. |
| | Nov. | Marriage of Anna Austen to Ben Lefroy. |
| 1815, | March | Emma finished. |
| | Oct. | Illness of Henry. |
| | Nov. | Jane shown over Carlton House by Dr. Clarke. |
| | Dec. | Publication of Emma. |
| 1816, | March | Bankruptcy of Henry Austen (Jane's health began to break about this time). |
| | May | Jane and Cassandra at Kintbury and Cheltenham. |
| | July | Persuasion finished. |
| | Aug. | End of Persuasion re-written. |
| | | Henry took Orders. |
| 1817, | Jan. | Jane began new work. |
| | March | Ceased to write. |
| | | Death of Mr. Leigh Perrot. |
| | | Jane made her will. |
| | May 24 | Jane moved to Winchester, and revived somewhat. |
| | June 16 | Cassandra sent a hopeless account to Fanny Knight. |
| | July 18 | Death. |
| | July 24 | Burial in Winchester Cathedral. |
At the end of the sixteenth century there was living at Horsmonden—a small village in the Weald of Kent—a certain John Austen. From his will it is evident that he was a man of considerable means, owning property in Kent and Sussex and elsewhere; he also held a lease of certain lands from Sir Henry Whetenhall, including in all probability the manor house of Broadford in Horsmonden. What wealth he had was doubtless derived from the clothing trade; for Hasted[4] instances the Austens, together with the Bathursts, Courthopes, and others, as some of the ancient families of that part 'now of large estate and genteel rank in life,' but sprung from ancestors who had used the great staple manufacture of clothing. He adds that these clothiers 'were usually called the Gray Coats of Kent, and were a body so numerous that at County Elections whoever had their vote and interest was almost certain of being elected.'