VisitEngland has declared 2017 to be the "Year of Literary Heroes", in recognition of the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's death and 20 years since the first Harry Potter book, to name just two milestone events.

Following on from 2016's Year of the Garden – which commemorated the 300th anniversary of landscape designer Capability Brown – the Year of Literary Heroes will celebrate some of the publishing phenomena that have helped put England on the map. 

2017 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of one of England's most acclaimed authors, Jane Austen, with events planned across her home county of Hampshire and the south of England.

Jane Austen's House Museum (her former home) in the village of Chawton, will host exhibitions, talks, activities and other special celebrations between March and December, and Chawton and nearby Alton will host a Regency Week (17-25 June) with special events including music, dance, talks, a Regency Day and more.

A highlight of the celebrations will be Hampshire Cultural Trust's The Mysterious Miss Austen exhibition, which will tour Hampshire with special and unique Jane Austen pieces, including loans from the National Portrait Gallery, British Library and private collections. Jane's final resting place, Winchester Cathedral, will also be running tours exploring Jane's life.

June 2017 will mark 20 years since the release of JK Rowling's first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, inspiring a global phenomenon, which put many of England's landmarks – from Northumberland's Alnwick Castle (one of the many Hogwarts locations) to the Reptile House at London Zoo – on the map as Potter pilgrimage sites.

Events already in the planning include a Harry Potter Film concert series (11-21 May 2017) with live screenings of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone accompanied by a live orchestra performing John Williams' unforgettable score. Locations include Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Glasgow, as well as London's Royal Albert Hall.

Later in the year, a new exhibition at the British Library, dedicated to the magic of Harry Potter (20 October 2017 - 28 February 2018), will be the first of its kind to celebrate a single series of books by a living author and will include previously unseen materials from author JK Rowling and the book's publisher Bloomsbury, as well as magical treasures from the British Library's own collection of wizarding books.
 
Cue lashings of ginger beer, as Enid Blyton Entertainment and Hodder Children's Books team up with the Royal Horticultural Society to hold a series of events to celebrate 75 years of The Famous Five, Enid Blyton's best-loved and phenomenally successful book series, publishing in May 2017 with newly illustrated covers.

Other literary anniversaries which will be celebrated in 2017 include the 100th anniversary of the death of wartime poet Edward Thomas; the 150th anniversary of the birth of Arnold Bennett – a writer, journalist, raconteur and wit who famously had an omelette named after him; the 50th anniversary of the death of Arthur Ransome, author of the much-loved Swallows and Amazons children's book series; the 125th anniversary of the death of poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and the 125th anniversary of the first Sherlock Holmes publication.

Janet Redler, Chief Executive of Janet Redler Travel & Tourism, said: “England has a wealth of literary heroes and it is fitting that 2017 has been chosen as the year to celebrate their many achievements. From Pride and Prejudice to Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone; from Swallows and Amazons to The Famous Five, these literary classics are known the world over. For anyone with an interest in the best British books, 2017 provides the perfect excuse to visit England.”

If you or your group would like to visit the literary sites of England, or indeed the rest of the UK and Ireland, please do contact us and we will put together a tailor made tour for you.