Lovers of one of England's best-known novelists managed to turn heads during a visit to Trowbridge in period Regency dress to celebrate their literary hero.

Almost 60 visitors from all over the world promenaded in costumes through Trowbridge to enjoy a traditional English cream tea at Parade House.

The Grade I listed Georgian townhouse was built for a wealthy clothier in 1720 and has been lovingly restored to its former glory by its owners Simon and Carey Tesler.

Parade House was once described by Pevsner in his Guide to Wiltshire as the "Centrepiece of a Stretch of Palaces along Fore Street”.

Jane Austen Festival-goers dressed in Regency attire promenade through the streets to Parade House in Trowbridge. Jane Austen Festival-goers dressed in Regency attire promenade through the streets to Parade House in Trowbridge. (Image: Trevor Porter)

The Jane Austen Festival visitors from Bath recreated scenes that wouldn’t have been out of place in the recent Netflix television series Bridgerton.

Members of the public, photographers and even contractors working in Manvers Street lined Wicker Hill and Fore Street as Wiltshire’s county town attracted its first tourists to the newly-regenerated town centre.

Mrs Tesler, events director at Parade House, said: “It was amazing and was probably one of the best things that we have done.

“It such fun and was lovely to see. Even the guys from the roadworks walked down in their hard hats to look.

“There were hardly any British, it was mostly tourists. It was amazing, they were from all over the world.

“There were a lot of Americans this time and a lot of Scandinavians, people from Australia and some Japanese.”

Jane Austen Festival-goers dressed in Regency attire promenade in front of Parade House in Trowbridge. Jane Austen Festival-goers dressed in Regency attire promenade in front of Parade House in Trowbridge. (Image: Trevor Porter)When the celebrated author made Bath her home from 1801 to 1806 the city was a thriving spa resort, popular with fashionable society.

aracters of Mr Darcy and Mrs Bennet from Jane Austen’s most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice.

Upon arrival, they promenaded in their Regency finery from Trowbridge railway station to Parade House for an afternoon of Regency splendour.

Carey Tesler as ‘Lady Trowbridge’ welcomes the visitors to Parade House as part of the Jane Austen Festival celebrations. Carey Tesler as ‘Lady Trowbridge’ welcomes the visitors to Parade House as part of the Jane Austen Festival celebrations. (Image: Trevor Porter)

They were met by Trowbridge Town Crier Trevor Heeks and Carey Tesler, dressed as 'Lady Trowbridge', who welcomed them to Parade House before they enjoyed an escorted tour of the Georgian townhouse.

The special event ‘Ladies and Gentlemen on Parade’ included theatrical entertainment, champagne, a Regency cream tea and traditional parlour games.