WITH ladies in bonnets, soldiers parading in their red uniforms, gentlemen in elegant frock coats and carriage rides taking people around the town, anyone entering Alton High Street on Saturday might have been forgiven for thinking that they had stepped back into early 19th Century England.

Which is exactly the effect organiser Pat Lerew was aiming to achieve for Alton’s 11th Regency Day, which marks the start of the town’s Regency Week and celebrations of Jane Austen’s life and her works.

Alton Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring Regency Week and assisted Alton Community Centre bosses who organised Saturday’s opener.

Mrs Lerew is a member of the chamber’s committee and chairman of the community centre.

Regency Day brings both townsfolk and people from far and wide crowding into the High Street, most bedecked in elegant Regency dress to give authenticity to the event as they mix with groups of red-coated soldiers proudly carrying their muskets.

Although a town hall band stopped them from firing a volley because, as re-enactors, they had hoped to do so.

Among this colourful scene was a busy farmers’ market on the High Street, a Regency market where there were period clothes on sale, and a craft market with a wealth of beautiful handmade objects available to buy.

As always, Alton Morris and the Minden Rose Dancers were a big attraction and a reminder of early English dance and there was also plenty to eat and drink, although no 1810 French wine which Jane Austen loved to drink.

Regency Day is both a cultural and fun way to step back to those times, a happy occasion for visitors to enjoy and a landmark event for Alton.