Jane Austen’s ring will remain in Britain – after an anonymous British benefactor offered $155,000 to the campaign to keep the ring in the U.K.

Jane Austen’s  House Museum in southern England says it’s now  raised over  $252,000. That’s enough to keep the ring at home  and out of the hands of  American  pop star Kelly Clarkson – who bought it at an auction last year. 

The British government had  placed a temporary export ban on the gold-and-turquoise ring Clarkson bought – in the hope that money could be found to keep it in Britain.

The “Pride and Prejudice” author died at age 41 in 1817 and left the ring to her sister Cassandra. It had been in the family until last year’s auction.

Clarkson is a huge  Austen fan and she  owns a first edition of the author’s novel “Persuasion.”

She’s agreed to sell the ring to the museum, saying “The ring is a beautiful national treasure and I am happy to know that so many Jane Austen fans will get to see it at Jane Austen’s House Museum.”  

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