Yesterday came a letter to my mother from Edward Cooper to announce, not the birth of a child, but of a living; for Mrs. Leigh has begged his acceptance of the Rectory of Hamstall-Ridware in Staffordshire, vacant by Mr. Johnson's death. We collect from his letter that he means to reside there, in which he shows his wisdom. Staffordshire is a good way off; so we shall see nothing more of them till, some fifteen years hence, the Miss Coopers are presented to us, fine, jolly, handsome, ignorant girls. The living is valued at £140. a year, but perhaps it may be improvable. How will they be able to convey the furniture of the dressing-room so far in safety?

Here is a picture of Edward Cooper's Church,the Church of St Michael and All Angels, at Hamstall Ridware, in Staffordshire.

The church is still there and I've linked it's web site below for interested parties.

Eventually, in 1806, Jane Austen, her mother and sister travelled to Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire, to visit Edward Cooper, Mrs Austen's nephew, visiting Leigh relatives at Adlestrop en route. This coincided with the death of the Hon. Mary Leigh of Stoneleigh in Warwickshire. Mrs Austen's cousin, the Reverend Thomas Leigh, expected to succeed her and he invited his Austen cousins to accompany him to Stoneleigh Abbey on their way to Hamstall.

And as for gettign the furniture to Staffordhsire : I think it might have gone by river and canal....

http://www.nb-swallow.co.uk/images/Boyles/Canal%20Map2.jpg

Go to the link above for a picture of the inland waterways system(n.b this is a modermn map but it gives some idea of how the different areas of the country could have been lnked)