William Knight was Jane Austen's nephew, born William Austen in 1798, the fifth child of her brother Edward, who was adopted by Thomas Knight II. Edward Austen changed his name to Knight in 1812 after he inherited the Knight family estates, which included the Godmersham, Steventon and Chawton estates. William was a 'much loved' nephew of Jane and say a great deal of his Aunt particularly in her later years at Chawton. He was in his late teens when Jane died in 1817 and he visited her in Winchester shortly before her death. He succeeded Jane's brother Henry as Rector of Steventon in 1823 shortly after he was ordained and was Rector of Steventon for 50 years until his death in 1873. William, two of his three wives and three of his children are buried in the churchyard.

William Knight's Memorial

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
THE REVD. WILLIAM KNIGHT
FOR 50 YEARS RECTOR OF STEVENTON
WHO PEACEFULLY DEPARTED THIS LIFE
ON THE 5TH DAY OF DECEMBER 1873, IN THE 76TH YEAR OF HIS AGE
"LOOKING UNTO JESUS"

THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED
AS A TESTIMONY OF THE DEEPEST AFFECTION
BY HIS BEREAVED AND SORROWING WIDOW J. H. HOPE.

"THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM"