At Devizes we had comfortable rooms, & a good dinner to which we sat down about 5; amongst other things we had Asparagus & a Lobster which made me wish for you, & some cheesecakes on which the children made so delightful a supper as to endear the Town of Devizes to them for a long time.

So wrote Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra from Bath on Friday, May 17th, 1799.

I grew up near Devizes, albeit entirely oblivious to the literary connection. My family there have made attempts to locate t...